Women's Center anniversary

October 17, 2005

Luncheon, art exhibit, new publication to mark Women’s Center's 20th anniversary

The UCSC Women’s Center will observe its 20th anniversary with a celebratory luncheon, a new publication from the Regional History Project of the University Library, and an art exhibit by UCSC women staff and alumnae.

The Women’s Center is in the historic Cardiff House near the main entrance to campus. This photo of women meeting on the front porch was taken in the late 1990s.
Photo courtesy of the Women's Center

The luncheon will take place from 10:30 to 2 p.m on Saturday, October 22, at the Women’s Center, located at Cardiff House on the UCSC campus.

Featured speakers include Santa Cruz County supervisor Mardi Wormhoudt and UCSC psychology professor Aida Hurtado, who will both speak on the topic: “Why a Women’s Center?” Wormhoudt will speak from a town/gown perspective and Hurtado from an academic point of view. UCSC Chancellor Denice D. Denton will provide the opening remarks. The event is free and open to the community. For reservations, contact Roberta Valdez at (831) 459-2169.

The Women’s Center will also celebrate the publication of Crossing Borders: The UCSC Women’s Center, 1985-2005, a new oral history from the Regional History Project of the UCSC library. Conceived of and completed especially for this anniversary, the new volume features seven interviews with narrators who address the vision, achievements, and challenges faced by the Women’s Center over the past two decades.

Two of the center’s founding faculty—UCSC literature professor Helene Moglen and American studies and women’s studies lecturer emerita Marge Frantz--as well as five staff women who served as directors are featured in the publication, including Kathie Olsen, Beatriz Lopez-Flores, Arlyn Osborne, Shane Snowdon, and Roberta Valdez.

“The UCSC Women’s Center was founded with a broad vision far beyond that of most academic women’s centers,” noted Irene Reti, director of the Regional History Project. “It has served not only students, but also staff and faculty, as well as the surrounding community.”

The Women’s Center will also celebrate its anniversary with an art exhibit titled Legacies, running through October 28 at the Cardiff House. The show will feature photographs, paintings, sculpture, and surface design created by UCSC staff and alumnae.

Copies of the oral history may be ordered from the Regional History Project by calling (831) 459-2847 or e-mailing ihreti@ucsc.edu. The oral history is also available online at http://library.ucsc.edu/reg-hist/index.html or in the University Library’s collection.

For more information, call (831) 459-2169 or go to the Women’s Center web site.

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