Jillian Singer majors in political science and minors in psychology and sociology. She’s interested in a career in reproductive healthcare advocacy or legislative affairs, and she recently attended Feminist Camp.
Describe yourself and why you wanted to attend Feminist Camp:
I am a current senior from Chevy Chase, Maryland, just outside of D.C. I plan to enter a career in politics soon, specifically focusing on issues of women’s rights, and I knew that Feminist Camp would be an amazing opportunity to expand my view of social justice work. I wanted to meet female pioneers in the nonprofit and social justice arena, alongside other inspiring young feminists.
Describe your favorite parts of the conference:
My favorite day of Feminist Camp was the “Philanthropy” day. Throughout the day, we met with many women who are engaged in social justice work relating to feminism, and they shared their stories and career paths with us. We had in-depth discussions of our personal values, how our life experiences have shaped those values, and how we aim to incorporate those values into our careers. The most powerful speaker on this day, in my opinion, was Justine Moore. Justine was formerly incarcerated for 16 years and later helped to establish The National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. She shared her experiences while in prison, and discussed some of the most pressing needs in criminal justice reform. We later met with Lindsey Rosenthal from the Vera Institute, who now works to end the mass incarceration of women and girls. She shared her traumatic experience as a Night Warden at a prison for pregnant teenage girls in Miami. This day, the first day of Feminist Camp, was important in getting me into a self-reflective mindset for the rest of the week.
Highlight information you learned on reproductive health and reproductive justice:
We had the opportunity to perform an “abortion” on a papaya with the Reproductive Health Access Project, meet with a doula from Sister Song, and visit the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. The papaya abortion was a particularly impactful moment in Feminist Camp, as we were able to see, firsthand, the simplicity of the procedure. We engaged in discussions surrounding common myths about abortion and why/how it should be de-stigmatized. With Chanel Porchia, a doula and the founder of Sister Song, we discussed the beauty of motherhood and the wide range of doula services she offers particularly to low-income immigrants and women of color.
Tell us what you learned that you hope to never forget:
I hope to never lose sight of the importance of listening intently to other peoples’ life experiences, when they choose to share. I was so moved by all of the women we met throughout Feminist Camp – each person shared their path in getting to where they are today, and their own relationship with feminism. Listening to these powerful, successful women, in addition to my peers who each had unique perspectives and experiences to share, was incredibly inspiring. Throughout my professional life, I hope to take every opportunity to listen to others share their stories. There is so much to learn from those around us.
Why should other students attend a Feminist Camp?
Feminist Camp was an unforgettably inspiring, immersive experience in intersectional feminism. I cannot believe how much I learned from my peers, from the leaders of the program (Amy Richards, Jennifer Baumgardner, and Carly Romeo), and from each of the amazing speakers with whom we had the opportunity to meet. Feminist Camp makes you deeply consider what you are passionate about, what your values are, and who you want to be. I am still in disbelief. If you have the opportunity to attend Feminist Camp, DO IT.
How did this experience help with your future ambitions?
I am currently searching for post-graduation jobs, and Feminist Camp put me in the right mindset to deeply consider the impact that I want to make in my career. I am still not exactly sure what I want to do with my life, but Feminist Camp helped me to expand my possibilities. I am so grateful to have had this experience.
Does this sound like something you might be interested in? Tulane undergraduate students can apply to NCI for funding to attend Feminist Camp. Email Betsy Lopez at elopez@tulane.edu for more information.
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.