Happy Spring! Flex your muscles! Stretch and get ready to jump back into some exciting activities and educational events with the Women's Resource Center. We've all returned from a much needed and well-deserved Spring Break. Congratulations on making it over the hump. Now that we have refreshed ourselves, let's recap the recent Women's Resource Center's events and prepare to explore the upcoming opportunities and events here at the Center.

Between Black History Month and Women's History Month, The Women's Resource Center has been busily hosting events to support and promote both important and significant causes. Highlighted events include the hosting of the very funny, yet informative The Vagina Monologues - a global movement to promote world-wide awareness and raise money to end all violence against women and girls. This event raised $2600 for the Women's Center, Inc. of New Bedford and for VDay.

Next the International Women's Day celebration featuring keynote Speaker, Dr. Sorosh Roshan, a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, President of the International Health Awareness Network (IHAN), and a Non-Governmental Organization's delegate to United Nations since 1987, who spoke on the pertinent issue of Global Women's Health.

Immediately following Dr. Roshan's talk were the eighth annual 2009 Outstanding Women's Awards dedicated to honor and recognize women from the UMD community who have made significant contributions that enhance opportunities for achievement for women, and promote and provide a supportive climate on campus. Brenda Berube, Interim Director of the STEM Initiative won for the faculty award, Sherrie Andre, Women's Studies Major won for the student award and Beth-Anne Vieira, Coordinator of Health Education and Promotion was the staff recipient. Congratulations to this year's outstanding women.

To button Women's History Month, UMass Dartmouth will host the swearing in ceremony of the Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women, which was signed into law on July 16, 2008 by Governor Patrick Deval, sponsored by Senator Joan Menard and Representative Patricia Haddad. The women on the BCCSW were recently appointed by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Two women appointed we know well: our own director Dr. Juli Parker and the Executive Director of the YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts, Gail Fortes. This agency works closely with the Massachusetts Women's Legislative Caucus, and has introduced a variety of bills to promote the equality of women and girls, including Children and Families, Education, and Violence against Women. Visit their home page at: www.mass.gov/women.

Coming up, our focus is on April which is Sexual Assault Awareness month. On Tuesday, 14 April 2009, the Center features keynote speaker Bob Jensen, author of Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity, who will be speaking on the negative effects of pornography on male self image, and at 7pm, he will be introducing a screening of the film The Price of Pleasure: Pornography, Sexuality, and Relationships, a candid look at the attitudes of both the men and women performers involved in the industry, as well as the powerful position that the adult entertainment industry holds in contemporary American culture. Dr. Jensen is a professor, scholar, and lecturer, based at the University of Texas at Austin. See our website for more events in April.

On Thursday, 30 April 2009, the 2nd annual Women's Studies/Women's Resource Center fundraiser, Educating and Empowering through the Arts, featuring legendary poet and feminist, Adrienne Rich, author of the groundbreaking article "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence" and the book Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution. In these publications, Rich successfully challenges the long-standing institutions of both motherhood and heterosexuality. The proceeds continue to fund the Women's Studies Endowment for scholarships and the work of the WRC.

Information on ordering tickets for the event can be found at www.umassd.edu/cas/wms/rich.cfm

The Center will host our 2nd annual $tart $mart workshop, on Equal Pay Day, www.pay-equity.org/day.html. April 28th, 2009 from 5 - 7 pm in the Campus Center Conference room. Designed and piloted by The WAGE Project, $tart $mart teaches junior and senior college women how to skillfully benchmark and negotiate the salary of the job they want when they graduate. This is an empowering 2 hour, nuts-and-bolts workshop that every woman should treat herself to. Go to www.wageproject.org for more information. Or to sign up, email ksylvia@umassd.edu.

We encourage you to participate in our consciousness-raising events and to visit the WRC to check out what's new. The WRC is an especially cool hangout when it's time to unwind. Each Tuesday at 2:00, we gather for relaxing, supportive, interesting, educational, funny and just plain down-to-earth chats during our Tea Time at Two. De-stressing is the key, as we drink from a delicious variety of new teas that have unusually accurate and informative names. You have to visit the center to find out more. Since education also lives outside of our campus community, we wish you continued success throughout your education here and beyond. We look forward to seeing you. Live, Learn, Laugh.

All of our events are open to all members of our campus community and the community at large. Co-sponsors include the Women's Studies Program, Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, and the MVP Program.