Ohio University’s Women’s Center has been gearing up for an in-person school year full of events. Finding ways to engage and educate, the Women’s Center released its calendar full of the events happening this fall.
The SayHerName events hold much significance and will continue to be hosted this year. The birth of the SayHerName events occurred after a session tied in with the Division of Diversity and Inclusion in response to the murder of Breonna Taylor. The Women’s Center has had a history of collaborating with other organizations, individuals and groups to support SayHerName programming for a number of years now.
Geneva Murray, director of OU’s Women’s Center, has worked with others to make sure the SayHerName events, which are intended to have space to talk about current and past issues safely, can be as impactful as possible.
“SayHerName events existed as a movement,” Murray said. “Typically when we talk about police violence against Black communities, we don't always think about the Black women who have been killed by police. It's about making sure that we're amplifying their voices and names as well, so it's not in competition with Black Lives Matter, but it's an addition.”
Murray said the reason for the events is to continue the heightened conversation for Black Lives Matter and SayHerName as well as keep it from losing momentum.
“We want there to be an intentional, action-oriented process for the remaining issues that are still very existent,” Murray said.
The SayHerName events are not only to speak on police brutality but emphasize and remember the mortality rate for women of color, particularly Black women, in the U.S. It’s also meant to highlight the inequities that have been institutionalized within education, the prison system, health care and more.
Kristyn Neckles, psychologist for the Division of Diversity and Inclusion, said the SayHerName events provide a space for courageous, difficult conversation around race and the struggle Black women face in terms of police brutality and anything that exists within.
“It provides a space to get context from the experiences of others,” Neckles said. “It’s the impact of, especially for women of color like me, being able to discuss the impact and seeing the disparities and the injustice.”
Neckles said the space provides a way to cope and gather perspective after seeing the news or experiencing something that causes distress. It’s a way for those who are passionate to share and gather thoughts with others who are passionate.
The topics for the events are responsive to what is happening in present time and what students feel need to be talked about.
This fall, there are three SayHerName events scheduled. One occurred Sept. 7, when there was a focus of recognizing student need, preparing for the school year and reflecting on the time away.
The next event will be on Oct. 12, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., in Baker University Center room 403 or virtually. This session will involve writing letters to incarcerated women and may focus on discussing interpersonal violence and drug use.
On Nov. 9, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., in Baker room 403 or virtually, the meeting will revolve around the needs and wishes of the participants. These events revolve heavily around the attendees and their needs. Everyone is to be recognized on what they need to talk or reflect on.
For some, like Nadia Niamke, a junior studying psychology, these events have become an important way to talk about experiences and be with others who are possibly going through the same thing or something similar.
“I am a Black woman, so it's like they're talking about things that I can understand and relate to,” Niamke said. “It's good to see other people being interested and invested and wanting to learn more so they can be more involved in understanding.”
Niamke believes it’s important to have these conversations and to become aware because understanding is difficult if you have not experienced the issues firsthand.
Murray said it’s important to be an ally and a co-conspirator. Murray encourages those who are to view a video linked on the Women’s Center website on how to be an ally and co-conspirator before attending the events. People are encouraged to come with an open mind and preparation to explore topics that may have not been discussed before.
“SayHerName programs are for everyone,” Murray said. “We can also think during this, ‘What can I as an individual do now?’ and those changes that we can make a lot sooner, and there's space for that for everyone.”
