A group of influential women will be the primary feature in the International Women’s Day panel for the Women’s Center’s event.

The Women’s Center will have a gallery walk, a panel of women and a service project for its upcoming International Women’s Day event.

International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8; this year’s theme is #BreakTheBias.

The three-hour-long event on the holiday is from 3-6 p.m. in the Center for Undergraduate Excellence.

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: A gallery walk of presentations about international women. 

“We have people presenting about women, their achievements and their challenges,” said Pacifique Niyonzima, graduate assistant for the Women’s Center.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: An international-based panel including women associated with Kent State. 

Speakers include:

• Nasra Abubakar, a recent graduate from a Kent State doctoral program.

• Martha Merrill, a College of Education, Health and Human Services professor.

• Adina Ionescu, Liudmyla Sokolova and Laylo Rahimova

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: A service project in collaboration with Days for Girls. 

Days for Girls is a nonprofit that makes reusable menstrual products for women. These products get sent to countries where young girls may not have access to disposable menstruation products.

“Our students, when they make them, they learn, they understand […]the work they do will make a difference,” Niyonzima said. “It’s kind of a way of nurturing and promoting global citizenship.”

There will also be a social media campaign called #BreakTheBias in the week leading up to the event. Those who want to participate can take a picture with their arms crossed over their chest, this pose is to show solidarity in calling out gender bias and oppression.

To participate in the campaign and be eligible to win prizes, such as t-shirts and bracelets, post these pictures on Instagram and tag #BreakTheBias and @wckentstate.

The schedule for the Women’s History Month events can be found here.

Katherine Masko is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].