Students to perform in ‘Soapbox Sisters’

Tomi Brunton Associate

Students will perform inspiring speeches and poems by historical and contemporary women in an event on March 28.

The Communications Department hosts the event, titled Soapbox Sisters, every year for Women’s History Month.

“Soapbox Sisters is happening so that we can high- light the voices of women from around the world who have done something to inspire people, to impact [and] empower people,” April Copes, a communications professor and the co-coordinator of the event, said.

Copes has coordinated the event for more than a decade, but this semester is the first time it will take place in person since the start of the pandemic.

Avery Burke, a sec- ond-year plant sciences student who will perform at the event, said it’s good to “give life to the words.”

“I think it’s important to bring light to, like, the women of our society now and historically who have contributed to literature,” Burke said.

Second-year communications student Kalvin Herold agreed.

“I had always wanted to support women’s movements,” Herold said. “I had

In 1987 Congress designated March as Women’s History Month. The campus celebrates it annually.

DeBlasis, co-chair of this year’s Women’s History Month observation, said it’s important to celebrate it because it aligns with AACC’s value of embracing diversity and inclusion.

Sophie Reverdy, a distance learning librarian and DeBlasis’s co-chair, said any campus program, department or student group can organize Women’s History Month events.

“I love seeing the range of things from different disciplinary perspectives,” Reverdy said. “I just love to see what my college colleagues come up with and how they acknowledge women’s contributions.”

“Even student groups can propose and run their own event,” DeBlasis said. “Sophie and I will help them realize what they want to do, and we do publicity and coordination for it. … Proposing an event is a great way to learn about women’s history. Sometimes we have classes put together Women’s History Month events, so it’s open to anyone on campus.” loved poetry and it seemed that there [were] more ways that people were expressing themselves through writing than I had figured.”

She said these events help students and faculty learn new things about women’s contributions to U.S. society and the events are a way to connect with other members of the community.

Reverdy said she hopes by showing women’s achievements from diverse perspectives, the events can highlight the experiences that have shaped women today.

Burke plans to read “I Have Had Not One Word

From Her” by ancient Greek poet Sappho at the event.

“Sappho is like the original lesbian … so it’s also personal to me. And … she’s famous, like, her literature is everywhere,” Burke said. “It’s really good. It has a lot of feeling in it.”