Image Description: Feminist campers and advocates from the Reproductive Health Access Project
“My Unforgettable Experience at Feminist Camp”
by Claire Huff
Name: Claire Huff (she/her/hers)
Major(s)/Minor(s): Majoring in Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies and minoring in Anthropology and Latin American Studies
Career Interest: Nonprofit and social justice related work
Conference you attended: Feminist Camp NYC Summer 2022
Describe yourself and why you wanted to attend the Feminist Camp:
My name is Claire Huff and I am a passionate feminist who incorporates feminist theory into many different facets of my life, both academically and in my day-to-day experiences. Thus, I wanted to attend Feminist Camp to learn more about how feminism can continue to be a part of my life once I enter the job force. Feminist Camp would allow me to meet with amazingly successful feminists to discuss their journies and experiences, helping me reveal more about what I want to do in the future and the steps I need to take in order to achieve my goals.
Highlight information you learned on reproductive health and reproductive justice:
Feminist Camp operated with daily themes that guided our learnings and discussions. The themes included: Careers, Identity + Reproductive Justice, Media, Justice, and Art. I was fascinated by the interdisciplinary nature of the event, and I was interested in our Reproductive Justice day, especially since we discussed very topical issues. On this day, we met with Afsha Malik who works for the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, and learned about how these kinds of organizations work to protect the rights of pregnant people within the legal system. Next, we learned about abortions and access to safe health care from three individuals from the Reproductive Health Access Project. My favorite part of that discussion was when we learned how to perform an abortion by practicing on a papaya. This was a fascinating and instructive way to learn more about how abortions work in an effort to normalize discussions regarding abortions and health care in general.
Describe your favorite part of the conference:
It’s close to impossible to name my favorite part of Feminist Camp since every moment was so eye-opening to me, but if I had to pick I would likely pick our talking circle discussion with Gloria Steinem along with Rita Zimmer and Sharon White Harrigan from Women’s Community Justice Association. In this discussion, we talked about decarceration and how we can support people who are experiencing injustices in the prison system. Of course it was a dream come true to meet Gloria Steinem, and I was inspired by the many talking circles she hosts. This encouraged me to reach out to other feminist leaders in hopes of creating some talking circles of my own.
Detail what you learned that you hope to never forget:
I will never forget the feeling of a completely feminist week. It was inspiring to incorporate feminism into everything we did on the trip. Whether it be looking at feminist photographs at the MOMA, watching the Broadway play POTUS, or shopping at Bluestockings, a feminist bookstore, in all that we did, we focused on feminism and supporting women, femme-identifying people, BIPOC individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. This demonstrated to me how feminism and feminist values can be applied to so many different aspects of our lives. After Feminist Camp, I am much more intentional about finding feminist organizations and businesses to support.
Why should other students attend a Feminist Camp:
I would encourage Tulane students to apply to Feminist Camp because it would allow them to be exposed to resources they most likely would not have had access to. At Feminist Camp, I engaged with art, media, famous feminists, and so many other informational resources that pushed me to learn more about feminism and more about myself. Additionally, the people at Feminist Camp made the experience so amazing and I made great friends. Feminist Camp is a great opportunity to network, learn, and grow as feminists.
How did this experience help with your future ambitions?
Feminist Camp exposed me to many new career paths that I never would have considered before. For example, I was so fascinated by our meeting with the Feminist Press, and now I am thinking more about publishing in the future. Additionally, Feminist Camp taught me many tangible lessons about networking, career development, and leadership skills. I feel empowered as a student, as a feminist, and as someone who will soon be entering the job force. Feminist Camp validated my academic interests and allowed me to see how I can succeed as a feminist in the future.