GWS 50th Anniversary Celebration: Feminist Futures

Preparations to celebrate GWS's 50th Anniversary began in Fall 2021. We intended to host a celebration in February 2022, which would have been 50 years since the 1972 Susan B. Anthony Women's Liberation Teach-In on the then Circle Campus. That teach-in led to the founding of the Circle Women’s Liberation Union and eventually the Women's Studies Program at UIC. The COVID-19 pandemic upended those initial plans. In Fall 2022, when many of us tentatively began returning to campus, we resumed our planning with a renewed commitment to community, connection, and care.

The GWS Program Committee decided to host a daylong celebration, called Feminist Futures, to honor the program’s history, celebrate its many accomplishments, and reflect on GWS’ continued importance and relevance. On March 9, 2023, almost 100 people gathered in person at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and UIC Student Center East, with additional attendees joining via Zoom.

Check out these three videos, created by Tom Callahan of Sensitive Visuals, for a recap of the day.

Activist Scholarship

GWS as Life-affirming and Life-changing

Care and Building Feminist Futures

Feminist Futures Photo Essay

  1. A colorful bouquet of flowers stands in a vase in the back center of a wood table. To the left is the book Before Aids, standing atop a stack of journals. To the right is the book Politics of the Pantry, standing atop a stack of journals. Fanned in front of the flowers are various books authored by GWS alum and faculty.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Book raffle table, featuring books authored by GWS alumni and faculty members and flowers gifted to GWS by GLAS
  2. A woman with hot pink hair wearing a dress in shades of blue, white, black, and yellow and geometric shapes, stands behind a brown lectern and speaks into a microphone.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Cindy Tekobbe gives a land acknowledgement to begin the day.
  3. A woman with long reddish brown hair, wearing a face mask and an orange-ish brown jacket over a white shirt, speaks into a microphone. A woman with short gray hair, wearing a face mask, glasses, and a black jacket over a red shirt sits to her left and is looking at her.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Drs. Nadine Naber and Judith Gardiner during the Morning Dialogue on Bodily Autonomy, Care, and Environmental Justice
  4. Six panelists sit behind and to the side of a table that is draped in a black tablecloth.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    l to r: Dr. Judith Gardiner, Dr. Cindy Tekobbe, Rev. RJ Robles, Dez Brown, Nadia Sol Ireri Unzueta Carrasco, and Dr. Ariella Rotramel
  5. A woman with short brown hair wearing a purple dress, face mask, and glasses speaks into a microphone while raising her right arm and pointing her index finger toward the ceiling.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Jennie Brier, Director of Gender & Women’s Studies and Professor of GWS and History
  6. A woman with long blonde hair, wearing an orange face mask, dark blue sweater, and turquoise scarf, claps her hands while sitting. To her left sits a man with short black hair, wearing a black face mask, glasses, gray suit jacket, and a light gray button-down shirt.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Liesl Olson, Director of Hull-House Museum, and Ross Jordan, Curatorial Manager of Hull-House Museum
  7. A woman with short gray hair wearing a purple face mask, glasses, and a red sweater sits next to a man with short gray hair, wearing a light blue face mask and a multi-colored sweater over a light blue collared shirt.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Peg Strobel, GWS Co-founder and Professor Emerita, and Dr. John D'Emilio, GWS Past Director and Professor Emeritus
  8. A woman with short gray hair, wearing glasses, and a black jacket over a red shirt speaks into a microphone she is holding in her right hand. To her left sits a woman with hot pink hair wearing a light peach face mask and a black jacket over a dress with shades of blue, white, orange and geometric shapes
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Drs. Judith Gardiner and Cindy Tekobbe during the Morning Dialogue on Bodily Autonomy, Care, and Environmental Justice
  9. Attendees sit in wooden chairs arranged in rows and look toward a screen in the front of the room which displays a woman who is speaking to the audience via Zoom.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Elena Gutiérrez addresses the audience during the lunchtime Discussion on Feminist Care.
  10. A bald man wearing a face mask and a light blue hooded sweatshirt speaks into a microphone he is holding in his right hand while seated.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Social Justice minor Caesar Thompson asks a question.
  11. A person holding a green colored pencil colors in a coloring book page that sits on her lap on top of a tote bag with a purple screenprinted image. A box of colored pencils sits atop the coloring page.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    An attendee colors in the GWS Feminist Futures activity book.
  12. A person with long straight black hair wearing a white face mask and an olive green jacket over a black shirt speaks into a microphone.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS alum (2021) Ren Encinas during the Afternoon Dialogue on Abolition, War, and Violence
  13. A woman with short brown hair wearing a black face mask, long black and beige earrings, and a black jacket over a beige shirt, speaks into a microphone.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS alum (2019) and lecturer Dr. Jen Ash moderates the Afternoon Dialogue on Abolition, War, and Violence.
  14. A woman with short gray hair, wearing a red sweater and gray pants, sits next to and looks at a woman with short black hair, who is wearing glasses, a black face mask, and a light blue shirt while speaking into a microphone.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS Co-founder Peg Strobel and GWS Graduate Student Liliana Macias during the Afternoon Dialogue on Abolition, War, and Violence
  15. A woman with brown hair that is styled in buns on the side of her head with long strands of hair framing her face, wears a light pink face mask and a beige plaid dress, while speaking into a microphone she is holding with both hands.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS major Susan Cisneros offers a comment.
  16. A woman with short black hair wearing glasses and a black dress stands behind a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front and speaks into a microphone atop the lectern.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Barbara Ransby gives a toast during the reception.
  17. A woman with short gray hair wearing glasses and a black jacket over a red shirt stands behind a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front and speaks into a microphone atop the lectern.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Judith Gardiner, GWS Co-founder and Professor Emerita, reads a poem she wrote in honor of GWS' 50th anniversary during the reception.
  18. A woman with long reddish brown hair, wearing a thick beige scarf and an orange-ish brown jacket stands behind a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front and speaks into a microphone atop the lectern.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Nadine Naber gives a toast during the reception.
  19. A woman wearing glasses and a dark brown dress with a multicolored scarf stands behind a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front and speaks into a microphone atop the lectern. Behind her and to her left, a woman with short red hair wearing a black dress and a long blue and gold necklace that extends to her waist smiles and claps.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Lynette Jackson gives a toast during the reception, while Dr. Manoucheka Celeste looks on.
  20. A video of a person with short light brown hair and a blue and white button-down collared shirt is projected onto a screen that stands to the right of a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    A video of GWS Alum Dr. Katie Batza's (2011) pre-recorded toast to GWS is shared during the reception.
  21. A video of two people sitting side-by-side is projected onto a screen that stands to the right of a lectern with the UIC red circle logo with white font affixed to the front.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    A video of GWS Alum Tara and Gabrielle Theobald-Anderson's (2008) pre-recorded toast to GWS is shared during the reception.
  22. Two women embrace.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Drs. Amalia Pallares and Peg Strobel at the reception
  23. Two women stand side-by-side, smiling widely.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS Director Jennie Brier and Black Studies Assistant Director Briana Hanny
  24. A woman with short red hair wearing a black dress and a long blue and gold necklace that extends to her waist smiles widely while holding a sheet of paper.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Dr. Manoucheka Celeste emcees the toasts during the reception.
  25. Two people stand and face one another while having a conversation.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Professor Emeritus John D'Emilo talks with an attendee during the reception.
  26. A group of six people stand side-by-side in front of a brick wall, smiling for a group photograph.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    l to r: Melissa Portis, Dr. Lynette Jackson, Briana Hanny, Dr. Manoucheka Celeste, Dr. Akemi Nishida, and Leeann Ream
  27. Two people stand side-by-side, looking down at a collection of books displayed on a table.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    GWS alum Michael Oliveros (2023) and Ren Encinas (2021) check out the book raffle table at the reception.
  28. Two people sit side-by-side in blue cushioned chairs, eating from plates of food they are holding. In front of one person is a tote bag with a hot pink screenprinted image.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Attendees at the GWS 50th Anniversary reception
  29. Three people stand in a circle around a high-boy table, talking, eating, and drinking.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Attendees at the 50th Anniversary reception
  30. Three people stand in a semi-circle, laughing while holding food and drinks.
    Photo by Megan Christina
    Veronica Arreola, GWS Alum and Director of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives at UIC

Morning Dialogue: Bodily Autonomy, Care, and Environmental Justice

Three panelists sit behind a table draped in a black tablecloth, with small bottles of water perched on top.
Dr. Cindy Tekobbe, Rev. RJ Robles, and Dez Brown
(Photo by Megan Christina)

In line with our feminist values, the centerpiece of the event was a series of intergenerational dialogues among GWS students, alum, faculty, and emeritae professors.

The topic of the morning dialogue was Bodily Autonomy, Care, and Environmental Justice. Participants included: Dez Brown, Gender and Women’s Studies Graduate Student and Instructor; Nadia Sol Ireri Unzueta Carrasco, GWS Alum, Dr. Nadine Naber, Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Global Asian Studies; Rev. RJ Robles, GWS Alum; and Dr. Cindy Tekobbe, Assistant Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Communication. Judith Gardiner, Gender and Women’s Studies Co-founder and Emerita Professor, and Ariella R. Rotramel, GWS Alum, moderated the morning dialogue.

Discussion on Feminist Care

A panelist with shoulder-length black hear, wearing a gray sweater and black KN95 face mask, sits behind a table draped in a black tablecloth. Above and to the right of the table, a panelist participating via Zoom is projected on a screen. Small bottles of water, papers, and a microphone are on the table. Three empty wooden chars are behind and to the right side of the table.
Drs. Akemi Nishida and Elena Gutiérrez lead attendees in a discussion on feminist care.
(Photo by Megan Christina)

Over lunch, attendees enjoyed a conversation on feminist care between Dr. Akemi Nishida, Assistant Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Disability Studies, and Dr. Elena Gutiérrez, Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Latin American and Latino Studies. Dr. Nishida’s recently published book, Just Care: Messy Entanglements of Disability, Dependency, and Desire, provided a starting point for this discussion that reflected on how we can imbue our relationships, classrooms, research, and movements with feminist care.

Afternoon Dialogue: Abolition, War, and Violence

Two panelists sit behind a table draped in a black tablecloth. One panelist, a woman with long straight black hair wearing a face mask, motions to the panelist to her left, a man wearing glasses and a face mask and reaching for a microphone atop the table..
GWS Alum Ren Encinas and Dr. Ronak K. Kapadia
(Photo by Megan Christina)

The topic of the afternoon dialogue was Abolition, War, and Violence. Panelists included: Dr. Ronak K. Kapadia, Associate Professor and Director of the Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies; Ren Encinas, GWS Alum, Liliana Macias, GWS Graduate Student; and Dr. Terrion Williamson, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Gender and Women’s Studies and Black Studies. Margaret (Peg) Strobel, Gender and Women’s Studies Co-founder and Emerita Professor, and Dr. Jen Ash, Gender and Women’s Studies Alum and Instructor, moderated the afternoon dialogue.

Celebrating and Connecting

Two women set out button making supplies, coloring books, and colored pencils on a table.
Annie Storr, scholar on the life and work of Hull House co-founder Ellen Gates Starr, and Leeann Ream, GWS Graduate Assistant, set up the activities table.
(Photo by Megan Christina)

Throughout the day, attendees made GWS buttons; colored in the GWS Feminist Futures activity book, created by GWS Graduate Assistant Leeann Ream; and took self-guided tours of the Hull-House Museum.

Artists Liz Born and Gabe Hoare of Hoofprint Workshop helped guests screenprint posters and tote bags, using a beautiful design created by GWS Alum Monica Trinidad to honor the 50th Anniversary.

We also raffled off books written by GWS faculty and alum, with donations going to the GWS Basic Needs Fund that will be available to students in Fall 2023.

We closed out the day with a reception in the East Terrace Room in Student Center East (SCE), located next door to the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Guests caught up with old friends, made new connections, shared in-person and pre-recorded toasts to GWS, ate birthday cake, and enjoyed a GWS playlist compiled by Drs. Anna Guevarra and Gayatri Reddy with song contributions from GWS core and affiliated faculty members.