Meet Sarah Jones! She is majoring in Political Economy with a minor in Africana Studies. Thanks to funding from Newcomb College Institute, she attended Feminist Camp in Seattle. Read about her experience below:
Describe yourself and why you wanted to attend Feminist Camp:
I was raised by parents who introduced me to feminist ideas and values at a young age. Throughout my young adult years, I have searched for ways to apply these ideas and further challenge them to prove that there are no limits to feminism. I wanted to attend Feminist Camp to meet other individuals interested in using feminism in the workplace and creating the pathways to have feminism in their workplaces.
What were your favorite parts of the conference?
Unlike other conferences, I appreciated the amount of time Feminist Camp allowed for bonding outside of the workshops and the discussions. I honestly left the conference with a number of new friends, and I cannot wait to see all that they accomplish.
Share some information you learned on reproductive health and reproductive justice:
We had the chance to discuss with women their lives as they balance motherhood and working and how they made the decision to do both. I think the important lesson from these conversations was the emphasis of choice, particularly the choice to become a mother. We also met with a doula and had the chance to hear her experience with helping mothers.
Is there anything you learned that you hope to never forget?
We met with two individuals from Textio, and they provided us with useful tools for negotiating with future employers, particularly in job fields where money is made from the experience of people’s identities. I think that this is useful information because we are finally moving into an age where people are being told to negotiate and I believe it is important for people, especially marginalized groups, to understand the tools of negotiation.
Why should other students attend a Feminist Camp?
I believe Feminist Camp exposes people to ways of not living their lives as feminists who keep their ideas and opinions to themselves or their confidantes. I think the camp encourages people to have confidence and take pride in being a feminist and pushes people to apply their values in places where change can happen, i.e. the workplace.
How did this experience help with your future ambitions?
I think I have a clearer view of what I can do to have a stronger career and how to make the future feminist. Through the workshops, I have learned how to find the right mentors, how to reach out to organizational Boards related to my career interest, and how to build stronger connections from networking.
Does this sound like something you might be interested in? Tulane undergraduate students can apply to NCI for funding to attend Feminist Camp. Email Clare Daniel at cdaniel5@tulane.edu for more information.
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.