Our EVE-olution.
'1999 - Six key students play an integral role in founding the Nipissing Univeristy Women's Centre. Their presence was comprised of a single bookshelf in the Student Affairs office of Nipissing University. A great big thanks to: Michelle Bourgeois, Matthew Campbell, Erin Dokis, Crystal Pigeau, Brandi Tapp, and Renée Valiquette!
2000 - One of the first large events put on by the NUWC is a bus trip to the World March of Women held in Ottawa on October 15th.
The World March of Women 2000 is an international campaign of women to raise awareness of and to eradicate poverty and violence against women. More that 15,000 people, mostly women, marched and rallied on Parliament Hill in a joyous celebration of hope and a call for justice to eliminate poverty and violence against women in Canada and around the world. The demands of Canadian women include:
Women's right to social security: We demand full access to welfare and income security, fully funded public health care and education, social housing, and adequate pensions.
Women's right to equality at work: Working women demand improved labour standards, including a minimum wage above the poverty line ($10 an hour), the right to unionize; we want effective and enforceable pay and employment equity legislation; we need sexual, racial, sexual orientation and personal harassment protection, and we demand the restoration of unemployment insurance to at least 1996 levels.
Care for our children: Women demand access to quality, state funded childcare, paid maternity leave and dependent care leave.
The right to be free of violence: Women demand that the federal government provide $50 million in funding directly to women's shelters, rape crisis centres and sexual assault centres.
Access to the rights of citizenship: Women in Canada demand an open immigration and refugee policy, domestic workers rights, access to work and welfare for immigrants and refugees. We demand that the federal government return to core funding for women's organizations. We demand full lesbian legal equality and access to all benefits available to others.
Women's rights internationally: We join with women around the world in our full support of the demands of the international march.
December 2000 - The first annual December 6th Vigil is held in remembrance of the victims of the 1989 Montreal Massacre (also known as the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre). On December 6, 1989, twenty-five year-old Marc Lepine, shot twenty-eight people before killing himself. He began his attack by entering a classroom at the university, where he separated the male and the female students. After claiming that he was "fighting feminism", he shot all nine women in the room; killing six. He then moved through the school specifically targeting women to shoot. He killed fourteen women and injured four men and ten women in just under twenty minutes before turning the gun on himself. At the candlelight vigil we remember the lives of the women we lost on that day.
We remember:
Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968), civil engineering student;
Hélène Colgan (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Nathalie Croteau (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Barbara Daigneault (born 1967), mechanical engineering student;
Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968), chemical engineering student;
Maud Haviernick (born 1960), materials engineering student;
Maryse Laganière (born 1964), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department;
Maryse Leclair (born 1966), materials engineering student;
Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967), mechanical engineering student;
Sonia Pelletier (born 1961), mechanical engineering student;
Michèle Richard (born 1968), materials engineering student;
Annie St-Arneault (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Annie Turcotte (born 1969), materials engineering student and;
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958), nursing student.
December 6 has also been designated the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, intended as a call to action against discrimination against women, ALL women.
2001 - One of the first struggles the NUWC faces is a lack of official space. After petitioning for a safe and positive women's space on campus, F200 becomes the NUWC's official space. However, only part-time as the space is shared with International Services.
2002 - The NUWC in partnership with the Gender Equality and Social Justice (GESJ) Department, the Gender Equality Alliance of Nipissing (GEAN), and Canadore College presents a weeklong series of activities intended to celebrate International Women's Day which is celebrated on March 8th....only we stretch the celebration for an entire week! This year's theme is: BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS: WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN A GLOBAL WORLD.
2003 - Our first Take Back the Night March is launched. Its success allows for the event to run on an annual basis and draws over 100 participants from the Campus and the community. From the late 1970's through present day, Take Back The Night events have been held by college and university women's centers, YWCA's, rape crisis centers, community centers, high school student groups, battered women's shelters, and other organizations dedicated to helping women achieve safety and empowerment. Events have been held in England, Belgium, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, the United States, and likely other corners of the globe.Men are also lending their voices and standing as survivors at many events. Most events involve candlelight vigils, speak outs, marches and rallies in order to raise awareness about sexual violence. Some events involve only women, but as more men voice their own stories of sexual abuse, most events are coed efforts to raise awareness and promote healing. All events strive to bring awareness to the problem of sexual violence and support those who have been victimized.Early events focused on unsafe streets, cities and campuses; and then as a protest to pornography and the degradation of women and sexuality. Today, events highlight the problem of violence against women as well as the broader issues of sexual violence: sexual assault, rape, dating violence, sexual abuse, domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, child abuse, internet harassment and other unhealthy relationships.
- The 2nd annual Inaternational Women's Week is presented by the NUWC, GESJ and GEAN. This year's theme is: Criminalization of Poverty and the Pursuit of Social Justice.
2004 - Our Voice is created as a resource that allows Nipissing community members to share their own ideas and experiences.
February 2005 - The Women's Centre at McMaster University shared the idea of The Bathtub Project when two of our members, Michelle Pero and Tara Soucie, visited McMaster Univeristy in December 2004. The project was designed to help men and women in local shelters by alleviating some of the adverse affects of either being homeless or being forced out of one's home because of abuse. Tables are setup in a main area and students and faculty members are encouraged to donate toiletries or money to the campaign. NUWC also writes letters to local businesses asking for donations. At the end of the week-long campaign, tote bags are filled with toiletries and we deliver them to local shelters for them to distribute among their occupants.
Janurary 2007 - The NUWC gets its first personal space (F213). WOO HOO!
September 2007 - The NUWC is funded by a student levy grant. The proposal was submitted in October 2006 and presented to the Compulsory Ancillary Fees Committee. It can be viewed in the Forms section of this website. Thanks Kate Doyle, Tara Soucie, Katelyn Ott, Caitlin Don and Jessica St. Peter for all of your hard work!
2007 - The NUWC purchases a fridge and Shannon Elissa Zaussome donates a microwave. Our space gets homier!
March 2008 - GESJ presents the 7th annual IWW: Migration and Borders.
2008 - Our space becomes much more welcoming with the addition of a lovely and very comfortable chocolate brown sofa-futon.
March 2009 - GESJ presents the 8th annual IWW: Activist Bootcamp.
September 2009 - The NUWC moves to A244a. It is right beside a lounge, around the corner from a caf and has double the space! Painted bright yellow and orange, many come into the warm space...even if it is just to sneak a peak. Big thanks to Ian Desjardins and Peggy Cook for all their help!
- We have a new website thanks to Lisanne Roy and Applied Activism!
October to December 2009 - NUWC Member Dylan Pickett-Fallis' application for a Pride Club through NUSU gets declined as the Club is said to approach a too-controversial subject. Students are unhappy and David Pottery writes a brilliant 'Nipissing Ain't Got No Pride' article in the Campus Free Press. With the hard work of dedicated members, Pride finally secures funds (for this year and the next) on Dec. 3rd through the Nipissing University Administration and the NUWC!
November 2009 - The NUWC screens the film Once Were Warriors for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
December 2009 - The NUWC Executives surprise the members by celebrating the NUWC's 10th Anniversary!
January to February 2010 - The NUWC members work together and tirelessly to introduce the first Nipissing University Women's Centre Constitution and By-Laws! The NUWC Constitution is ratified February 10th, 2010.à
March 2010 - The 9th Annual International Women's Week : The Art of Resistance brings Tracey Deer, her films and imagineNATIVE to Nipissing University and North Bay!
- Faculty members from Gender Equality and Social Justice have also planned the Truth, Reconciliation and the Residential Schools Conference.
March 2001 - The theme for the 9th Annual IWW is Reteaching Gender and Sexuality with main guests Put This On The Map.
2000 - One of the first large events put on by the NUWC is a bus trip to the World March of Women held in Ottawa on October 15th.
The World March of Women 2000 is an international campaign of women to raise awareness of and to eradicate poverty and violence against women. More that 15,000 people, mostly women, marched and rallied on Parliament Hill in a joyous celebration of hope and a call for justice to eliminate poverty and violence against women in Canada and around the world. The demands of Canadian women include:
Women's right to social security: We demand full access to welfare and income security, fully funded public health care and education, social housing, and adequate pensions.
Women's right to equality at work: Working women demand improved labour standards, including a minimum wage above the poverty line ($10 an hour), the right to unionize; we want effective and enforceable pay and employment equity legislation; we need sexual, racial, sexual orientation and personal harassment protection, and we demand the restoration of unemployment insurance to at least 1996 levels.
Care for our children: Women demand access to quality, state funded childcare, paid maternity leave and dependent care leave.
The right to be free of violence: Women demand that the federal government provide $50 million in funding directly to women's shelters, rape crisis centres and sexual assault centres.
Access to the rights of citizenship: Women in Canada demand an open immigration and refugee policy, domestic workers rights, access to work and welfare for immigrants and refugees. We demand that the federal government return to core funding for women's organizations. We demand full lesbian legal equality and access to all benefits available to others.
Women's rights internationally: We join with women around the world in our full support of the demands of the international march.
December 2000 - The first annual December 6th Vigil is held in remembrance of the victims of the 1989 Montreal Massacre (also known as the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre). On December 6, 1989, twenty-five year-old Marc Lepine, shot twenty-eight people before killing himself. He began his attack by entering a classroom at the university, where he separated the male and the female students. After claiming that he was "fighting feminism", he shot all nine women in the room; killing six. He then moved through the school specifically targeting women to shoot. He killed fourteen women and injured four men and ten women in just under twenty minutes before turning the gun on himself. At the candlelight vigil we remember the lives of the women we lost on that day.
We remember:
Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968), civil engineering student;
Hélène Colgan (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Nathalie Croteau (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Barbara Daigneault (born 1967), mechanical engineering student;
Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968), chemical engineering student;
Maud Haviernick (born 1960), materials engineering student;
Maryse Laganière (born 1964), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department;
Maryse Leclair (born 1966), materials engineering student;
Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967), mechanical engineering student;
Sonia Pelletier (born 1961), mechanical engineering student;
Michèle Richard (born 1968), materials engineering student;
Annie St-Arneault (born 1966), mechanical engineering student;
Annie Turcotte (born 1969), materials engineering student and;
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958), nursing student.
December 6 has also been designated the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, intended as a call to action against discrimination against women, ALL women.
2001 - One of the first struggles the NUWC faces is a lack of official space. After petitioning for a safe and positive women's space on campus, F200 becomes the NUWC's official space. However, only part-time as the space is shared with International Services.
2002 - The NUWC in partnership with the Gender Equality and Social Justice (GESJ) Department, the Gender Equality Alliance of Nipissing (GEAN), and Canadore College presents a weeklong series of activities intended to celebrate International Women's Day which is celebrated on March 8th....only we stretch the celebration for an entire week! This year's theme is: BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS: WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN A GLOBAL WORLD.
2003 - Our first Take Back the Night March is launched. Its success allows for the event to run on an annual basis and draws over 100 participants from the Campus and the community. From the late 1970's through present day, Take Back The Night events have been held by college and university women's centers, YWCA's, rape crisis centers, community centers, high school student groups, battered women's shelters, and other organizations dedicated to helping women achieve safety and empowerment. Events have been held in England, Belgium, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, the United States, and likely other corners of the globe.Men are also lending their voices and standing as survivors at many events. Most events involve candlelight vigils, speak outs, marches and rallies in order to raise awareness about sexual violence. Some events involve only women, but as more men voice their own stories of sexual abuse, most events are coed efforts to raise awareness and promote healing. All events strive to bring awareness to the problem of sexual violence and support those who have been victimized.Early events focused on unsafe streets, cities and campuses; and then as a protest to pornography and the degradation of women and sexuality. Today, events highlight the problem of violence against women as well as the broader issues of sexual violence: sexual assault, rape, dating violence, sexual abuse, domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, child abuse, internet harassment and other unhealthy relationships.
- The 2nd annual Inaternational Women's Week is presented by the NUWC, GESJ and GEAN. This year's theme is: Criminalization of Poverty and the Pursuit of Social Justice.
2004 - Our Voice is created as a resource that allows Nipissing community members to share their own ideas and experiences.
February 2005 - The Women's Centre at McMaster University shared the idea of The Bathtub Project when two of our members, Michelle Pero and Tara Soucie, visited McMaster Univeristy in December 2004. The project was designed to help men and women in local shelters by alleviating some of the adverse affects of either being homeless or being forced out of one's home because of abuse. Tables are setup in a main area and students and faculty members are encouraged to donate toiletries or money to the campaign. NUWC also writes letters to local businesses asking for donations. At the end of the week-long campaign, tote bags are filled with toiletries and we deliver them to local shelters for them to distribute among their occupants.
Janurary 2007 - The NUWC gets its first personal space (F213). WOO HOO!
September 2007 - The NUWC is funded by a student levy grant. The proposal was submitted in October 2006 and presented to the Compulsory Ancillary Fees Committee. It can be viewed in the Forms section of this website. Thanks Kate Doyle, Tara Soucie, Katelyn Ott, Caitlin Don and Jessica St. Peter for all of your hard work!
2007 - The NUWC purchases a fridge and Shannon Elissa Zaussome donates a microwave. Our space gets homier!
March 2008 - GESJ presents the 7th annual IWW: Migration and Borders.
2008 - Our space becomes much more welcoming with the addition of a lovely and very comfortable chocolate brown sofa-futon.
March 2009 - GESJ presents the 8th annual IWW: Activist Bootcamp.
September 2009 - The NUWC moves to A244a. It is right beside a lounge, around the corner from a caf and has double the space! Painted bright yellow and orange, many come into the warm space...even if it is just to sneak a peak. Big thanks to Ian Desjardins and Peggy Cook for all their help!
- We have a new website thanks to Lisanne Roy and Applied Activism!
October to December 2009 - NUWC Member Dylan Pickett-Fallis' application for a Pride Club through NUSU gets declined as the Club is said to approach a too-controversial subject. Students are unhappy and David Pottery writes a brilliant 'Nipissing Ain't Got No Pride' article in the Campus Free Press. With the hard work of dedicated members, Pride finally secures funds (for this year and the next) on Dec. 3rd through the Nipissing University Administration and the NUWC!
November 2009 - The NUWC screens the film Once Were Warriors for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
December 2009 - The NUWC Executives surprise the members by celebrating the NUWC's 10th Anniversary!
January to February 2010 - The NUWC members work together and tirelessly to introduce the first Nipissing University Women's Centre Constitution and By-Laws! The NUWC Constitution is ratified February 10th, 2010.à
March 2010 - The 9th Annual International Women's Week : The Art of Resistance brings Tracey Deer, her films and imagineNATIVE to Nipissing University and North Bay!
- Faculty members from Gender Equality and Social Justice have also planned the Truth, Reconciliation and the Residential Schools Conference.
March 2001 - The theme for the 9th Annual IWW is Reteaching Gender and Sexuality with main guests Put This On The Map.