From the pictures of notable female figureheads displayed around the room to the elegant black and purple table decor, the ambiance was set for Womyn's Action Coalition's annual dinner on Nov. 1 in the College Union Ballroom. According to WAC President senior Zoeë Davidson one of WAC's top priorities is “to ensure that the discrimination based on gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, as well as class and race, ceases.”
The Girl Power dinner displayed a celebration of women's achievements and contributions with pride.
The dinner began with introductions by emcees and seniors Julia Antenucci and Emma Jean Liberman.
Both wore costumes that had significant meaning, drawing from the dinner's theme. Antenucci donned a hamburger-illustrated sweater, saying that women are not meat, while Liberman wore a red dress that was reminiscent of a Roy Lichtenstein work's depiction of a two-dimensional woman.
Beginning with an a cappella act by senior Maddy Smith, the pulsating beat of empowerment continued with performances by the G-Steppas and Slam Poets.
Senior Jon Tilles reflected on the entertainment, saying, “The performances were great. The sense of girl power really showed, and being one of the few guys there, I really learned a lot.”
Davidson described Girl Power as a great way “to revere the accomplishments we have made, and continue to make, as women. We thought celebrating in this way would create a positive and empowering environment."
“The idea for the dinner was kind of a spontaneous thought during our brainstorming,” she said. “We were basically reminiscing our childhoods - mostly what and who influenced us in the '90s. We realized the whole girl power mini-movement was pretty pivotal for all of us.”
Specifically, the dinner's theme drew on cultural references such as the “riot grrrl” movement of the '90s.
Aside from the purple balloons and other decor, there was paint, magazine cutouts and paper at each table.
One of the unique facets of the dinner was the art of magazine making - more colloquially “zine-making” - throughout the night.
WAC plans to scan guests' crafty contributions from the night and compile them in an online zine specifically for the event.
Antenucci pointed out at the beginning of the night that the zine-making at the dinner was very much inspired by young feminist Tavi Gevinson's Rookie Magazine. The online magazine inspires teenage girls to create new ways of self-expression through art and writing with a feminist appreciation in mind.
The four-song set by the campus female a cappella group Hips 'n' Harmony ended the night perfectly, including a Britney Spears medley, which summed up the evening of reverent female self-expression.