Several Grand Valley State University students, faculty and staff traveled to Detroit to attend the 44th National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) Conference, which was held Nov. 14-17. The University’s attendees were able to lead discussions surrounding on-campus feminism initiatives and learn about national issues pertaining to women’s rights and equality.

The theme of this year’s conference was “The Journey Not Only the Arrival, Critical Connections Not Only Critical Mass: (Re)Thinking Feminists Movements.” The annual conference draws in over 2,300 attendees to discuss the latest feminist scholarship. 27 GVSU students attended the conference, with the trip being funded by the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, the University’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program and a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

In the event’s program, National Women’s Studies Association President Heidi R. Lewis described the conference as a space to develop resistance strategies for forms of subjugation and oppression. 

“We gather to teach and learn from one another, to support and care for one another, to celebrate one another and to share in each other’s pain and joy,” Lewis said. “I cannot overstate the importance of this during a time when attacks on our field are more pronounced than ever.” 

GVSU students had the chance to sit in on multiple presentations, and have thoughtful discussions around feminist topics. The University’s attendees were also able to host their own sessions at the conference. Julia Mason, the director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at GVSU, said students’ presentations received positive feedback from the event’s other attendees.

“We had compliments after the (students’) sessions (about) on how thoughtful their presentations were,” Mason said. “It’s nice to see and hear our students getting that kind of recognition.” 

GVSU senior Hannah Perri took part in leading a roundtable discussion at the NWSA Conference. Perri is also the president of Equality for Everyone (EFE), a student organization at GVSU. According to LakerLink, EFE’s mission is to create “a melting pot of different communities with the purpose of educating and breaking stigmas, while embracing equality for all, no matter where you come from, who you love and who you worship.”

“We had the majority of the (E-Board) officers and general club members (from EFE) in attendance at the NWSA Conference,” Perri said. “Three other E-Board members and I had the amazing opportunity to speak and lead a roundtable session at NWSA about EFE and the importance of mobilizing the intersectional feminist movement across college campuses.” 

Perri said she learned a lot at the NWSA Conference, and found comfort in the shared experiences of others. 

“The amount of information I learned that I did not know before (the conference) was nice and needed, but what I really took away was the experiences that I heard many (people) share,” Perri said. “It reminded me that I (am) not in this fight alone.”

Mason said that attending the NWSA Conference was a great way for students to amplify the work that is being done here at GVSU in regard to student-led, feminist initiatives and women, gender and sexuality studies.

“(We had the opportunity to) stop and reflect, have conversations with and engage with folks in (an) intentional way that (often), when we’re here on campus, we’re (too) busy with many other things (to do),” Mason said.

Perri said that attending the NWSA Conference is an experience she’ll never forget.

“I enjoyed my time at NWSA as a member, as a presenter, as a student and most importantly, as a woman,” Perri said. “I learned about material and facts that I will definitely bring back to our club (EFE), alongside new ideas that the conversations led me to.”