Woman to Woman Conference a Success
On March 27th, the Farmworker Association of Florida teamed up with the University of Central Florida Women’s Studies Program to sponsor the first “Woman to Woman” conference.
The conference – hosted in St. Francis of Assisi’s Church, in Apopka – addressed the serious issues that are often neglected from a woman’s point of view. Topics included women’s health, domestic violence, coping with financial stress, immigration issues for women, stress and depression, parenting skills, and the beauty and identity of the woman.
The workshop exposed a population of low income, minority, rural women to the expertise and points of view of other women in an intellectually stimulating and secure setting. Presenters, such as Sister Ann Kendrick from the Hope CommUnity Center and nurse practitioner Nancy Rudner Lugo, shared their years of experience in important topics such as parenting and women’s health.
Those who attended the conference also had the opportunity to view the work of other women who had participated in the Bandana Project the previous year. The bandana project is an initiative by the Southern Poverty Law Center to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse in the lives of farmworker women. Participants in the past have discussed sexual harassment in the work place, as they decorate white bandanas with words of encouragement and inspirational art.
Using the Bandana Project as an inspiration, participants in the Woman to Woman Conference were encouraged to create their own bandanas to express their feelings about themselves as women and about their experience of the conference. They, then, added their bandanas to the clothesline, as they described their feelings and shared their message with the group. The ceremony was powerful and moving for all involved.
Volunteer support was also strong at the event. Members of YAYA, UCF students, and Rollins students all showed up to help make sure the event run smoothly. The event was also marked by multicultural performances by youth, which included dancing, step dancing, and Haitian songs.
Overall the event was a great success, and we would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who participated!
Woman to Woman