The women’s rights movement is at a new turning point to include all women, according to Kimberly Ferrell.
Ferrell is the coordinator of Eastern Michigan University’s Women’s Resource Center, and on March 4, 2025, the WRC hosted the "Women of Power United" event to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The event started with a speech by Ferrell explaining the history and significance of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day, first celebrated in 1911, has roots in the labor movement, Ferrell said. It is celebrated on March 8, and Women’s History Month takes place during March, with its first occurrence in 1987.
Both Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day are dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women around the world and highlighting the continuous movement for equality, Ferrell said.
Women of color were often excluded in the early history of the women’s rights movement despite significant contributions to the movement, something the event's keynote's speaker also addressed.
Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon, a professor in EMU’s Africology and African-American studies department, delivered a stream-of-consciousness keynote address highlighting the importance of intersectionality in liberatory movements, emphasizing the idea that "no one is free until we are all free."
Pressley-Sanon also discussed the importance of education and studying history.
“We must learn about the past in order to understand what is on the horizon,” Pressley-Sanon said.
The speech was followed by a panel discussion featuring Pressley-Sanon, Maha Casey, Brenda Byrd, Elizabeth Rinehart, and Katharine Korchnak.
Maha Casey and Elizabeth Rinehart are both PhD candidates at EMU, Brenda Byrd works as a pastor and Katharine Korchnak is a gender-affirming care patient navigator.
The panelists began by reflecting on their personal experiences with oppression and how the intersections of their various identities, including being a Black woman, being an Indigenous woman, and being a trans woman, have impacted their lives.
The panelists also discussed the importance of community and mentorship in liberation movements.
“Being able to see [myself] reflected in positions of power [was] incredibly instrumental in becoming the person I have become,” Pressley-Sanon said.
“Part of our liberation is finding our joy, knowing others who [have] experienced similar events,” Korchnak said.
Jonathan Griffin, one of the event’s attendees, said that events like the Women of Power United event are important, particularly in the current political climate.
“It’s relevant for today’s climate, especially what’s going on politically. [They're] conversations that need to happen,” Griffin said.
WRC has planned events throughout March to celebrate Women’s History Month. These include the Women of Color Symposium on March 11, the EmpowHER Gala on March 19 and the Women of Excellence Luncheon on March 26.
