For International Women’s Day, the University of North Alabama’s Mitchell West Center for Social Inclusion and Center for Women’s Studies came together to host an event called Breaking Barriers. 

“Breaking Barriers was our International Women’s Day celebration,” said Alyson Bergner, the Associate Director for the Mitchell West Center for Social Inclusion and the Center for Women’s Studies. “We welcomed over thirty students to our table on Friday, March 8, many of whom came just to be there for International Women’s Day.”

The event took place in the Guillot University Center atrium, where Bergner and other event organizers had a table with information and free items. 

Bergner invited students to take cards with information about the centers that were hosting the event. Organizers also offered Pop Rocks, as part of their “Women Rock” section, as well as International Women’s Day-themed stickers. Bergner gave ‘Breaking Barriers’ buttons to those in attendance, allowing them to show their support for women on the holiday. 

Aside from the items available to students, attendees were also invited to participate in the celebration by writing out a body-positive message for others to read or take. Organizers also encouraged participants to make a commitment to promoting gender equality.

“This year’s International Women’s Day theme was ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ which speaks directly to the work we do at the Center for Women’s Studies and the Mitchell-West Center,” Bergner said. “To inspire our own inclusion, we had students hold up signs with actions they could commit to in order to forge a gender-equal world.”

Students were encouraged to share pictures with these signs on social media, making a public commitment to these actions. 

Bergner is happy to have gotten the chance to invite students to take part in creating gender inclusion and equality, both on and off campus. 

“I was excited to have this time of education and awareness, and hope that it was impactful to the students who participated,” Bergner said. “After the event was over, we distributed our ‘Breaking Barriers’ buttons across campus. It was a fun way to conclude International Women’s Day.”