Women's Leadership Initiative
Discover our latest initiatives and the impact we're making in our community
Each semester, the Women’s Leadership Initiative hosts a Period Product Workshop aimed at raising awareness and breaking the stigma around menstruation. This event serves as both an educational platform and a community-driven fundraiser, where participants learn about menstrual health, period poverty, and sustainable period practices. In collaboration with various NGOs, the workshop not only informs but also empowers attendees to take action. Proceeds from the fundraiser go directly toward supplying free menstrual products to individuals in need within our community, ensuring access and dignity for all.
Women in Sports: Epistemic Injustices explores the ways in which women athletes face not only physical and institutional barriers but also deep-rooted forms of epistemic injustice—where their knowledge, experiences, and contributions are dismissed or devalued. This includes testimonial injustice, where female athletes’ voices are overlooked or questioned, and hermeneutical injustice, where the broader language and frameworks to fully understand their experiences are lacking or underdeveloped. These injustices perpetuate stereotypes, limit representation in leadership roles, and obscure the accomplishments of women in sports. Addressing these issues requires both structural changes and a cultural shift toward valuing and legitimizing women’s perspectives in athletic spaces. We always invite all sports teams at John Cabot University.
Our collaborative event with the Communications Department, Gender Roles in Education and Research, delves into how traditional gender expectations shape academic experiences and influence the production and reception of knowledge. Through interactive discussions, presentations, and media analysis, the event examines how gendered assumptions affect everything from classroom dynamics and participation to research topics and recognition in scholarly work. By bringing together students, faculty, and researchers, the event fosters critical conversations about bias, representation, and equity in educational spaces, encouraging participants to challenge stereotypes and advocate for more inclusive academic environments.
In partnership with the Literature Club and the English Department, our event Women in Poetry and Literature celebrates the powerful voices and contributions of women writers throughout literary history. Through readings, panel discussions, and open mic sessions, we explore how women have used literature and poetry as tools of resistance, expression, and cultural transformation. The event highlights both historical and contemporary authors, examining how gender has shaped their narratives and how their work has challenged societal norms. By creating space for dialogue and appreciation, we aim to inspire a deeper understanding of the vital role women play in shaping the literary landscape.
