DenverCenterforInternationalStudies

WomensEmpowermentintheDenverMetroArea

MichaeaVaughn
January2016
PassageII
Rivera

I.

Introduction
FormyPassageII,Iwillbeplanningacommunityevent.Duringthiscommunityevent,

Iwouldliketohavewomenengageinmultipletopicsthataffectthemeachday.Iamtruly
passionateaboutsocialissuesandstigmasthatnegativelyaffectwomenaroundtheworld.This
eventwillincludefourworkshops.OneoftheworkshopswillbeaboutGuiltandShameand
howthatimpactswomenbasedontheircultureandcircumstances.Iwillbeworkingwith
facilitatorsfromBuildingBridges.IdecidedtoworkwithBuildingBridgesbecausetheirgeneral
goalisthesameasmine.Theypromotedialoguebetweenyoungwomenaboutidentityand
perspectivetoequipthemwithleadershipskillssotheycancontinuetoaffectsocialchangein
theircommunities.
IdecidedtodothisPassagebecauseIwanttobeanObstetrician/Gynecologist.Itis
imperativethatwomenfrommanydifferentbackgroundsareabletocommunicateandtalkabout
issueswithintheircommunitiesandengageindifficulttopicsofdiscussion.Thepurposeofthese
workshopsistoremindwomenthattheyhaveavoice.UntilIjoinedBuildingBridges,Ididnt
realizethatIheldsomanyidentitiesthatareoftentargetedbypeoplefromdominantor
privilegedgroupsbecausetheyareseenasminorities.Beingfemaleisoneofthem.Thisbrought
myattentiontotopicslikethegenderwagegap,violenceagainstwomen,thedebatearound
womensreproductiverights,underrepresentationofwomeninpolitics,amongotheralarming
issuesthataffectwomen,sexualeducationandwomensbodyimage.AsanAfricanAmerican
woman,Iwilllikelymake64centstothedollar.Womensissuesareeveryonesissues.These
issuesareimportantbecausewomenmakeup49.6%oftheworldspopulation,butintheUnited
States,104outof535membersofCongressarewomen.Womenareunderrepresentedin

government,business,andSTEMprofessions.Beingabletoempoweronewoman,thatcanlater
educateothercreatesarippleeffectthatcanhelpallwomen.Justaswhenonewomanis
degraded,orunderrepresenteditcausesharmtoallofus.

II.

GPSDomains
MyPassageconnectstoCommunicatingIdeas,TakeAction,RecognizingPerspectives

becauseIwillbeleadingandplanningworkshopstogetthelargercommunityinvolved.Inmy
Passage,IwillbelearninghowtoCommunicateIdeastopeopleIvenevermet.To
communicateideas,Iwillbeabletoapplyappropriateverbalandnonverbalcommunication
strategiestocommunicateandcollaborateeffectively.Iwillfindandapplyappropriate
resourcestechnology,media,and/orworldlanguagestocommunicateandcollaborate
effectivelywithdiverseindividualsandgroups.Iwillreflectontheresponsesandfeedbackfrom
others,andrevisemycommunicationchoicesbasedonthefeedbackIreceive.IwillbeTaking
ActionbecauseIintendondoingcommunityoutreachbydoingworkshopsandusingmy
facilitationknowledgeandcommunicationskillstosparkconversationbetweenwomen.Iwillbe
InvestigatingtheWorldbecauseIamalsostudyingpoliciesandlawsaroundwomenandtheir
healthintheUnitedStatesaswellasculturetogainabetterunderstandingofhowissuesimpact
womenfromdifferentculturalbackgrounds,howtheseissuesareviewedindifferentplaces,and
why.
III.Form
Iwillbeplanningandrunningawomensconference.DuringMarch,Iwillworkonmy
preliminaryplanning(securingavenue,settingadate,catering,andgettingfacilitators).The

purposeoftheeventistogetyoungwomeninvolvedintheircommunityandletthemknowthey
haveavoice.Iplanonconnectingwithpeopleinthecommunitytoimprovemyconversational
skillsandmeetnewpeople.Iwillplaneachworkshopinaformthateffectivelyconveysthe
purposeoftheeventtotheattendees.Iwillfocusonissuesthataffectwomenandprovideasafe
spaceforwomentoopenlydiscusshowtheiridentitiesaredifferenteventhoughtheyallidentify
asfemale.Iwanttoletmyattendeesknowthattheyaremorethanahousewifeorafeminazi
andtheyarepowerful.Womenarecompletelycapableofeffectingsocialchange.
IV.LearningObjectives
LearningObjective

ActivitytoHelpMeLearn

Becomemoreactiveinmycommunity

Planningacommunityevent

Beabletocommunicateeffectivelywith
others

TalkingtopeopleIvenevermet/askingfor
help

Improvingmytimemanagementskills

Planningworkshopsonaschedule

Learnhowtoovercomeobstaclesbycoming
upwillalternatewaystoachievethesame
goal

Iwillachievethisbytryingalternatemethods
ofapproachingtheworkshopsan

LearnaboutwomensrightsandUSlaws&
policy

Doingresearchonline

EducatesomeoneaboutWomensissues&
differentperspectivesontheissues

facilitatingandplanningworkshops

Improveleadershipskills

directinganddividingtasksbetween
volunteers

ApplyknowledgefromCrossCultural
communicationsintomydailylifetohelpme
communicateandunderstand

Doingcommunityoutreachandtalkingto
peopleinmycommunitytomaketheevent
cometogether

V.Timeline
3

Date

Activity

Documentation

2/25

WriteProposal

Proposal

2/29

EmailTylerfromBuilding
BridgesRE:helpwith
planningworkshop

email

3/3

Researchforworkshops

Googledrivedocument

3/4

CommitteeMeeting

RubricsandSignatureSheet

3/9

Pickadate/starttryingto
secureavenue,general
workshopplanningstarted

Confirmationemail

3/11

ReachouttootherBuilding
BridgesParticipantsforhelp
andfacilitationvolunteers

Signupsheet

3/12

Startworkshopplanning,
eventplan/scheduledone

Googledrive

3/24

Venuesecured&Date
finalized

Confirmationemailfrom
DemeorTyler

3/26

Formsfinishedandreadyfor
completion

GoogleformsofAttendee
ApplicationandRSVPform

3/29

Reachouttopotential
speakers

Emailsandconfirmations

4/1

DUWomensconference

Pictures/pamphlets

4/2

ReachouttoFacilitation
volunteers

Googledrive,email

SpringBreak

WorkshopsA&BFinished,
takingtreestopicschosen

Googledrive

SpringBreak

WorkshopC&Dfinished

Googledrive

4/19

Attendeeconfirmation

RSVPformsfilledout

4/23

Facilitationtraining

Facilitationtrainingpacket
andnotes

4/30

SendincateringformtoCafe Confirmationemail
180

5/7

DateoftheEvent
7:301:30pm,Attendee
feedbackformscompleted

Pictures,completedfeedback
forms

5/13

Facilitatorfeedbackforms
due

Completedworksheets

5/20

PassageIIFinished

DocumentationNotebook

5/20

FinalPresentation

Signaturesheet/presentation
rubricsdue

VI.Preparations
A. Venue&Cateringoptions
B. AccesstoBuildingBridgesmaterials&curriculum
C. Money(TBD)
D. Computer/InternetAccess
E. HelpfromBuildingBridgesStaffandParticipants
F. CommitteeMembers
a. YeseniaBonilla
b. MatthieuCallnin
c. SantianaMartinez
d. Ms.Norbie
e. Ms.Hirsch
f. MariselaGuillen(additionalstudent)
g. MerynJohnson(additionalStudent)

VII.AnticipatedChallenges
A. Scheduling/Planningworkshops
B. Facilitation
C. Organization
D. Securingavenue
VIII.PersonalGrowth
A. TimeManagement
B. DevelopingCommunicationsskills
C. Steppingoutsideofmycomfortzone
IX.CommunityGrowth
A. Inspiringwomentotalkaboutissuesthatimpacttheircommunities/identities
B. Givingyoungwomenasafespacetotalkaboutissues