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First-ever Womxn’s Empowerment Week coming to Austin Peay

(Posted Feb. 26, 2021)

The first week of March will bring a new event to Austin Peay State University – a week devoted to empowering women. The first-ever Womxn’s Empowerment Week will be filled with events for students and employees. Each day will feature in-person and Zoom programs, such as a local, women-owned business vendor fair, along with various speakers. Visit Austin Peay’s events website for more information about featured events. Yanaraliz Barnes, coordinator for the Hispanic Cultural Center, and Ashley Kautz, coordinator for Adult, Nontraditional & Transfer Student Center, have worked tirelessly to plan the week. Several campus organizations are collaborating to support the campus-wide event. “I hope it really sparks conversation and that it not only empowers women, but also sparks conversation relating to women’s issues and barriers women face on campus,” Kautz said. While Austin Peay has hosted women-related programs and events on campus before, there have never been any quite this large. “We’ve never done anything that’s disrupted everyday thoughts and the barriers,” Kautz said. “Hopefully this will create a discussion that makes people in the future think a little more about what our students, faculty and staff face who identify as women.” The spelling of “Womxn” in “Womxn’s Empowerment Week” has a deeper meaning than some may think. The “X” removes the words “man/men” from the word “woman.” This allows the term “womxn” to show that women are not a subcategory of men. Monday, March 1 – Feminism • Womxn’s Empowerment Week Kick-Off at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Morgan University Center (MUC) colonnade tables. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. • “Breaking Down the Stigma Around Feminism” panel discussion at 3 p.m. Panelists will be Drs. Nicole Knickmeyer and Jonniann Butterfield. Watch parties will be in MUC Rooms 115 and 112. Click here to attend the Zoom seminar. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. Tuesday, March 2 – Advocacy & Awareness • Upstander Training violence prevention program at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at MUC Room 307 and on Zoom. Click here to attend the Zoom seminar. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. Wednesday, March 3 – Self-Care • Skin-care with Kayle noon-2 p.m. at MUC Rooms 303-305. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. • Women’s Health virtual panel at 3 p.m. on Zoom with Dr. Jessica Fripp hosting. Click here to attend the Zoom seminar. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. Thursday, March 4 – Women in the Workplace • “She is Empowered” women in the workplace panel discussion at 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at thw Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. • Woman-Owned Business Fair at 1-3 p.m. at MUC Rooms 303-305. Visit the Peaylink event listing for more information. Friday, March 5 • First Friday at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at MUC Plaza. The events are free and open to Austin Peay students and employees.
Womxn's Empowerment Week poster

The first week of March will bring a new event to Austin Peay State University – a week devoted to empowering women. The first-ever Womxn’s Empowerment Week will be filled with events for students and employees.

Each day will feature in-person and Zoom programs, such as a local, women-owned business vendor fair, along with various speakers. Visit Austin Peay’s events website for more information about featured events.

Yanaraliz Barnes, coordinator for the Hispanic Cultural Center, and Ashley Kautz, coordinator for Adult, Nontraditional & Transfer Student Center, have worked tirelessly to plan the week. Several campus organizations are collaborating to support the campus-wide event.

“I hope it really sparks conversation and that it not only empowers women, but also sparks conversation relating to women’s issues and barriers women face on campus,” Kautz said.

While Austin Peay has hosted women-related programs and events on campus before, there have never been any quite this large.

“We’ve never done anything that’s disrupted everyday thoughts and the barriers,” Kautz said. “Hopefully this will create a discussion that makes people in the future think a little more about what our students, faculty and staff face who identify as women.”

The spelling of “Womxn” in “Womxn’s Empowerment Week” has a deeper meaning than some may think. The “X” removes the words “man/men” from the word “woman.” This allows the term “womxn” to show that women are not a subcategory of men.

Monday, March 1 – Feminism

Tuesday, March 2 – Advocacy & Awareness

Wednesday, March 3 – Self-Care

Thursday, March 4 – Women in the Workplace

Friday, March 5

The events are free and open to Austin Peay students and employees.

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