We are so grateful to all of our supporters (79 to date!). We have one more ask – would you please each encourage at least one additional person to join you in supporting our campaign?

More Big News!

Ethnic Studies major and Women’s & Gender Studies minor Leilani Hemmings Pallay’s single-author paper was accepted for presentation! (At the leading conference in our field! As an undergraduate! In the main conference program!)

Leilani’s paper is entitled, “Tree Rings as an Ecofeminist Alternative to the Feminist Wave Theory.”

Program Abstract: The Feminist Wave Theory has long stood as the primary vehicle for understanding social movements that fall under “feminism”, but has been shown to fall short in terms of erasing the work of People of Color (especially Womxn of Color), Queer and/or Trans* people, Indigenous Peoples, et cetera. From there then, it becomes necessary to reconceptualize what it means to be “feminist” in praxis as well as to interrogate how we articulate our history and ongoing organizing / community building. Tree Rings provide a means for understanding the history of inherent communal practices and conscious work being done by our communities, as well as to be more intentional about a citational interaction with the “feminisms” that predate the language / schools of thought / politics of knowledge that we hold in place today.

Leilani adds: “For trees, some years there’s more growth or less. The ultimate endgame for adding new layers of bark is getting stronger and supporting new growth. Some climates aren’t conducive to growth at certain times while still others allow for double growth some years. Tree Rings document changes in climate and the environment around, like fires and droughts. The roots of Oak Trees mirror their branches / the parts of the tree that we see above ground or without cutting it down to view a cross section. When we apply these to a feminist / social justice / decolonial framework, we can begin to re/conceptualize our understanding and mapping of feminist praxis.”

We are all so excited for Leilani and so happy that we can send her to NWSA thanks to your generous support!

Please help us send every interested student by giving (or encouraging someone else to give) today!

Our goal: Raise another $2,500 by 8am on Sunday June 2nd! Every $730 is another student! Every $5 helps us get closer to making this transformative opportunity possible for more undergraduate scholar-activists in Womxn’s, Gender and Queer Studies at Cal Poly!

You are invited! All supporters of our crowdfunding initiative are invited to the LAUNCH PARTY for Volume 12 of sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies on F 5/31 from 3-5pm at SLO Provisions.  sprinkle is published at Cal Poly by Cal Poly students! Volume 12 features AMAZING local, national & international undergraduate authors. You will want a copy!

In addition, on F 5/31 we will CELEBRATE the transformative things WGS & QS students, faculty & partners accomplished this year, what we learned, and what we plan to do next! Recipients of the 2018-19 WGS Excellence in Leadership for Social Change at Cal Poly Awards will be announced and Scholarship Recipients for 2019-20 will be recognized! Students will also be able to join the national WGS Honor Society (lifetime dues: $5) and pick up their WGS Honor Society Graduation Cords at this event.

Please RSVP & join us! And please keeping asking your friends, family & colleagues to support our crowdfund for Womxn’s, Gender and Queer Studies at Cal Poly – we really cannot do this without you!

Our goal: Raise another $4,000 by Jun 2! Every $730 is another student! Every $5 helps us get closer to making this transformative opportunity possible for more Cal Poly students!

Big news since we launched earlier this month: Cal Poly students have been accepted to present at the NWSA conference! (The leading conference in our field! Our students are recognized as emerging scholar activists! At the leading conference in our field!)

One of the papers that Cal Poly students will present is about what they have learned from publishing sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies. (P.S. Volume 12 launches on F 5/31!)

The title of this paper is, “Undergraduate Journals of Feminist & Queer Studies: Engaging & Contributing to Alternative Ways of Knowing Justice.” We are part of a panel called, “Critical Feminist Pedagogies.” We are so excited! Check-out the full abstract below!  

Title: “Undergraduate Journals of Feminist & Queer Studies: Engaging & Contributing to Alternative Ways of Knowing Justice”

Abstract: Examines the existence and production of undergraduate peer-reviewed journals of feminist and queer studies as sites of analysis to explore how undergraduate students in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies are engaging with and contributing to alternative ways of knowing justice. What is made possible by the undergraduate journal as a form of institutionalized knowledge production in WGSS? How are undergraduate scholars and editorial teams accountable to the communities with/about whom they are producing and sharing knowledge? How do undergraduate journals contribute to and/or challenge what Bilge (2013) identifies as “academic (disciplinary) feminism” and its de-politicization of intersectionality?

This year, over 20 students at Cal Poly participated in producing Vol 12 of sprinkle. Don’t make us choose! We want to bring as many students as possible!  Your gift will make a difference!