LEWISTON, Idaho – “Balancing Wellness: Perspectives on Women’s Health in History” is the theme for the 2023 Women’s History Month in March at Lewis-Clark State College.
The celebration features a number of events during the month, including presentations, film screenings, a panel discussion, and the 6th annual Women’s Leadership Conference. All events are free and open to the public with the exception of the leadership conference, which has a registration fee of $35 for the general public and $10 for full-time students.
The month kicks off on March 1 with Heather Van Mullem and Jessica Savage presenting on “Women’s Health Transformations Through the Decades.” Van Mullem and Savage are professors in the LC State Physical, Life, Movement & Sport Sciences Division. Their presentation begins at noon in Sacajawea Hall, Room 115, on campus.
On March 3, the annual leadership conference runs 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The conference has the theme “Healthy Leadership: Women Finding Balance” and will be held at the Williams Conference Center on campus. The conference features speakers, workshops and lunch. Advanced registration is required. More information can be found on the event’s webpage.
Heidi Greene, an assistant professor in the LC State Nursing & Health Sciences Division, will talk on “CDC’s HEAR HER Campaign: Empowering Women for Maternal Health” on March 6, also at noon at Sacajawea Hall, Room 115.
On March 7, Leanne Parker will discuss “Self-Care and Mindful Self-Compassion.” Parker is an associate professor of psychology at LC State and her talk is at noon, also in Sacajawea Hall 115. Update (3/7/23): This event has been cancelled due to a family emergency.
The keynote presentation for the month will be March 8 at noon at Sacajawea Hall 115. Filmmaker Karen Day will discuss “Women’s Health: It’s Your Future Too.” Day resides in Idaho and says her purpose as a filmmaker is to “create compelling and artistic platforms that speak for those who have less opportunity to tell their stories in a public forum.”
That evening, Day will hold a screening and discussion of her film “Voices From the Field,” starting at 6 p.m. at the college’s Center for Arts & History, located at 415 Main St. in Lewiston. The documentary tells the story of five OB-GYN physicians working to save the lives of delivering mothers in the most remote regions of the Amazon, Himalayas, India, Kenya, and the United States. Day will lead a discussion following the screening.
On March 14, another film screening and discussion will be held at 6 p.m. at the Center. This one is “Sisters Rising” and is in collaboration with Native American Awareness Week at the college. This documentary is about six Native American women reclaiming personal and tribal sovereignty. Sexual assault rates on Native American women are more than twice the national average and the documentary discusses how these six women are fighting back.
Also in collaboration with Native American Awareness Week, a panel discussion will be held on the LC State campus on “Her story of the Indian Adoption Era.” The panel will feature Agnes Weaskus, Linda Dufford, Trae BlackEagle, and Velda Penney, and will be facilitated by Myra Campbell. It will take place at 1:30-2:45 p.m. in the Williams Conference Center.
The Center for Arts & History also will have an art exhibit entitled “Unconditional Care” on display during the month. The exhibit explores today’s most pressing health issues and shares the stories and concerns of those most directly impacted by them.
Women’s History Month is sponsored by the LC State Social Sciences Division. For more information on the event, contact Amy Canfield, LC State professor of history, at aecanfield@lcsc.edu or visit the Women’s History Month website.