Women’s Herstory Month Concludes With Exhibit Honoring Bantam Women of Resistance

Nick Cimillo ’26

Executive Features Editor

Last Thursday, March 27, an exhibit was launched in the Mather Art Gallery aimed at recognizing the efforts of women leaders on campus. Prior to the launch and reception event, the campus community was invited to nominate “Bantam Women of Resistance … who shaped the future, and those who are contributing now.” In total, around 20 women students, faculty, staff and alumni were nominated and received certificates; copies of these certificates, along with the anonymous nominations, line the walls of Mather Art Gallery. The Tripod interviewed some of the key organizers behind this exhibit as well as some of the nominated women to find out what it means for them and the campus community.

One of the exhibit’s key organizers was Jessica Sztaimberg, the associate director for global engagement at the Office of Study Away. “This is the first time we are doing a Women’s Herstory Month gallery like this,” she said. “The call went out to the Trinity campus, and you could nominate anyone who’s a student, faculty or staff member; you just had to submit the nomination and write a blurb about why this person should be nominated.” When asked what she thinks the significance of the exhibit is, Sztaimberg remarked that “It is really important to recognize the work that women have done and continue to do. This event is extremely important to not only the [WHM] Committee, but it should be extremely important to everyone on campus; we are recognizing women and celebrating during this special month.”

Sztaimberg also commented on the range that this first round of nominees encompassed. “[The nominees] are amazing,” she added. “If you look through and read [the exhibit], you’ll see there are nominees who retired from ten years ago and current students [and] staff members. So there is a mix of inspiring women here … The interim director of our Trinity Rome campus was also nominated, so we got to include our Rome campus, which is very special to us.”

Katherine Theberge-Torres ’28 was a member of this year’s Women’s Herstory Month Committee, the division of the Women & Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC) responsible for organizing Women’s Herstory Month events across campus. “I think it’s very important,” she said, “[that] women at Trinity are acknowledged for their efforts, providing for the community and just being a good influence. I think it provides encouragement and support for women to really come out of their shells and show that they can be a leader and be a change. And this event helps [as] a sign for that whole process.”

One of the nominees recognized was Crystal Nieves, the director of both LGBTQ+ life under Trinity’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Queer Resource Center (QRC). “I didn’t expect to be nominated [as a] woman of resistance,” she said. “It’s actually a really genuinely nice surprise … I identify as female and as a woman, but also non-binary. So I kind of forget myself as a woman doing good work sometimes.” Nieves spoke further on how she felt to receive nominations from her peers at Trinity: “The most exciting thing about this,” she added, “is that kind of warm and fuzzy reminder that I’m pushing boundaries where I can. My hope is that it reaches and helps a lot of people and students on campus, particularly not just the LGBTQ folks that we tend to work most closely with over at the QRC, but [also] the greater campus and all of our students.”

Velma, a Mather Dining Hall worker, also received a nomination, particularly for her work in starting a petition demanding better working conditions and treatment towards Mather workers. When asked how she felt about being recognized as a woman of resistance, she said “I’m full of gratitude … I’m always the one that’s giving; I’m a giver, this is the way God made me, so it is awesome and just wonderful to be recognized by [others]. It’s just an honor to be recognized [with] all of these other other beautiful women that [have] been recognized as well.”

The exhibit is one of the final events held this year by the WHM Committee. “I think we’ve had a fantastic Women’s Herstory Month,” said Laura Lockwood, director of WGRAC and a coordinator of the WHM Committee, as well as one of the nominees recognized in the exhibit. “The Committee worked very hard, as did all the students, faculty, staff and alums [involved].” One of her nominations cited Lockwood as a person who “brings consistent and enthusiastic energy to her work. She is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion and her personal actions and her personal actions and professional activity both reflect her commitment.”

This March saw many occasions brought about by the Committee; one mentioned by Lockwood was a book signing event entitled “Women’s Leadership: Experiencing and Exposing Racism in Health Care,” featuring guest speakers Oni and Uché Blackstock on Uché’s book “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.” In addition, the Men of Color Alliance (MOCA) hosted its Women’s Appreciation Dinner the same night the Women of Resistance exhibit launched. “I think it’s a visible, beautiful way to end Women’s Herstory Month,” Lockwood concluded. “This event is [all about] recognizing women’s leadership, empowerment, agency and voices and celebrating that: giving recognition to women past, present and future.”