AAUW Dialog

Coming to a conference filled with hundreds of female leaders from college campuses all over the nation and the world, including India, is certainly intimidating. So an opening session should serve as the ultimate “ice breaker.” Well, ladies, I think we can agree that the opening session, “Finding Your Voice,” for the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders did just that. The session was everything an opening session should be; it was loud, in your face, enthusiastic, energizing, and especially uplifting. Best of all, people were able to set aside their “cool people” mentalities and really open up to their peers about their hardships, trials and tribulations, and how they were able to survive.

After the opening remarks, the facilitator shouted out statements like “I believe there will be a woman president elected during my lifetime.” Attendees could stand if they agreed, and a few people had the chance to state why. Then those who did not agree could stand, and a few could share why they did not think there would be one. During the beginning of the session, a couple of questions popped up in my mind—the most important of which was, Where are all the feminists? Seriously, a good portion of the ladies did not stand up or identify themselves as feminists when the facilitator asked, which disturbed one of my friends. After that, my friend and I kept debating when “feminism” had become an ideology associated with so many negative barriers and stereotypes.

My favorite part of the session was the second half, the “Dance Cards” activity, where we gathered together in small groups based on different criteria and then debated topics like feminism and women leaders in more depth. We had a note card so we could write down information about women we met with whom we wanted to follow up later. Although at times it was overwhelming, it really covered a lot of ground in such little time. Who knew that your shoe size, year at school, birthday month, and first letter of your name could help you learn more about different arguments on an array of topics? While walking around, I couldn’t help but become invested in some of the conversations. Some groups really just jumped into lively discussions, while others took the time to split up each person’s talking time. However they decided to approach the discussion, they all seemed to be intellectually stimulating.

The one thing these ladies didn’t need was a “voice,” but simply a guide. I hope the women who attend this conference will return to their respective universities and colleges and live by a motto that makes them challenge themselves to make a difference, because “If not you, then who? If not now, then when?”