In the midst of Women’s History Month, one of the goals of the Women’s Center is to bring community to UW Oshkosh. To accomplish this, they hold an event called Crafts, Coffee and Community biweekly on Saturdays from 2 – 4 p.m. UWO students and staff can bond over drinking coffee and making bracelets, sticker collages, Perler Bead projects and other crafts.
Crafts, Coffee and Community is an important event to get the community together. Eliza Farrow, the diversity, equity and inclusivity student services coordinator, wants to reach out to people and raise awareness of what goes on at the center.
Farrow said by visiting the center, students at UW Oshkosh can benefit from what the Women’s Center offers, including internships, certificates that connect with women and gender studies and women’s conferences.
“How can we elevate students and do what they need to make their visions a reality?” Farrow said. “It’s about wanting spaces for a community to get together and build connections.”
During Crafts, Coffee and Community, Farrow talked about Go Green, one of the most advertised events at the Women’s Center, which happens a few times a semester. In this student-made event, students can get menstrual products for free and learn about menstruation and environmentally and financially sustainable solutions to menstrual hygiene management.
This event is not only crucial during Women’s History Month but year-round because it relates to women’s health and is an excellent opportunity to build connections within the UWO community.
This event is a safe place for people to come and connect over things they have in common. While making bracelets, Alyssa Bohn, a sophomore at UW Oshkosh, said, “This center is my third space; be me, be comfortable.”
Even though the center is called the Women’s Center, everyone is welcome. Many community members attend these events because they feel at home and can share their feelings.
For Women’s History Month, Farrow has organized many events, including International Women’s Day tabling, LGBTQ+ Trivia Hour and Safer Sex Ed in the center.
This event is very welcoming to newcomers. Two students, Hannah Lanphear and Katie Castelli, were there for the first time. They made friendship bracelets and vision boards. They said it was a very inviting space where they felt comfortable sharing their difficult experiences on campus.
“I didn’t realize what the Women’s Center had to offer; I didn’t know about the leadership or the women’s conferences,” Lanphear said.
Crafts, Coffee and Community will be held four more times until the end of the semester: March 22, April 5, April 19 and May 3 from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Women’s Center. If you are interested in joining a welcoming and respectful community or crafting while snacking, this event is for you.
