Heritage & Health Series Program
Empowering, Enlightening, and Enriching our Communities
Please join us in community, celebration and love for our WHM events in March. Check the campus events calendar for all upcoming events.
Fridays, March 1, 15, and 22
Mornings in Jenin Reading Group
11 a.m.–Noon Hearthside Lounge and Zoom
and for Zoom access
Mornings in Jenin is a multi-generational story about a Palestinian family forcibly removed from the
olive-farming village of Ein Hod by the newly formed state of Israel in 1948.
Set against one of the twentieth century's most intractable political conflicts, Mornings in Jenin is a deeply human novel — a novel of history, identity, friendship, love, terrorism, surrender, courage, and hope. Its power forces us to take a fresh look at one of the defining conflicts of our lifetimes.
- Books are available at the campus library (ask at reference desk)
- All our welcome to join our Reading Group
- Complimentary snacks and refreshments will be provided at each session
Tuesday, March 5
Sound Bath Experience with iChakras facilitator, Tiffany Walters
Noon–1 p.m. Hearthside Lounge
In this event, you'll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a full-body listening experience, where the soothing tones of the singing bowls create a serene atmosphere. Similar to how a traditional bath involves immersion in water, a Sound Bath involves immersing yourself in the restorative power of sound. The resonant tones produced by the quartz singing bowls envelop you, creating a space for relaxation and introspection.
This event is designed to help alleviate stress, assist in processing emotions, and promote balance by potentially unblocking chakras—centers of spiritual energy or power. As we celebrate Women's History Month, it's an excellent opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to take a moment for self-care and reflection.
Please be sure to bring your yoga mat, blanket, or meditation cushion to the event!
Complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Wednesday, March 6
Women's History Month Opening Ceremony
Noon–2 p.m. Dining Hall
Join us for our Global Summit and Women’s History Month Opening Ceremony to hear from our panel of women leaders solving real-life issues worldwide. Panelists will discuss Social Justice, Global Poverty, Women’s Empowerment, Girl’s Education, Environmental Issues. Learn about global issues, broaden your perspective, and gain knowledge and skills to help you make a more positive impact on the world.
Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided.
Learn More About the Panelists
Fatai Heimuli
Program Coordinator at Dream Volunteers, an organization with a mission to change
the world by empowering the next generation of changemakers. Former 17³Ô¹Ï
student who transferred to UC Berkeley. Attended the 17³Ô¹Ï Guatemala Trip
and was a part of the Teacher Corps.
Desiree Lyons
Namaste Direct CEO, a nonprofit organization that is laser-focused on economically
empowering women entrepreneurs in Guatemala to grow profitable businesses and lift
themselves out of poverty.
Evelyne Keomian
Founder of the Karat School Project, an organization with a mission to provide a skills-based
education to children and women living in extreme poverty.
Mariam Kelly
Attorney and Pro Bono Director at Community Legal Services in Palo Alto, a nonprofit
offering legal services that improve the lives of low-income families throughout the
region. We specialize in immigration, housing, workers’ rights, records clearance,
and consumer protection.
Julie Andersen
Senior Resource Management Specialist at Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, an organization focused on acquiring and preserving a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, to protect and restore the natural environment, and to provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education.
Friday, March 8
Happy International Women's Day!
Virtual Artist Talk: Women. Art. Resistance.
Noon–1 p.m.
Join event facilitators and 17³Ô¹Ï’s very own Cynthia Brannvall, Art Historian and Fatima Jinnah, Counselor as they host this empowering conversation.
Art is a visual language with the capacity to hold multiple perspectives. Its message can be an expression of identity that is both subjective and simultaneously tethered to a collective that is culturally and historically specific. Art can speak to power where language falls short and becomes artifacts of history that validate voices that have been marginalized. In celebration of women and art as a form of resistance, please join us in conversation with Nasim Moghadam and Dana Ammouri whose practices speak to power in nuanced and powerful ways.
Read Nasim Moghadam's Bio
Nasim Moghadam is an art educator and a multidisciplinary visual artist holding an
MFA in studio art and a BFA in graphic design. Her installations focus on discrimination
and hyphenated identity, and the constraints on women, their bodies, and their voices.
Using sound, video, photography, and multimedia sculptures of varying scales, and
materials that serve as constant physical reminders of femininity, Moghadam creates
narratives inspired by the efforts of women worldwide who are defending their basic,
unalienable rights. Envisioning another world, an equal world in solidarity, Moghadam
celebrates how womxn go beyond cultural and political limitations, rise up, and create
a revolution.
Read Dana Ammouri's Bio
Dana is a tatreez artisian. Tatreez is the art of Palestinian embroidery. She was
born and raised in San Jose, CA and her parents are from Palestine. Her mother’s family
was expelled from Haifa during the 1948 Nakba. Dana current resides in Sacramento
and hosts monthly Tatreez circles. She shares patterns and tips on her Instagram site
tatreez.with.danduna. She started sharing her tatreez on social media as a way to
channel all the emotions she felt as she watched and heard about the injustices happening
to her people. Her hope is to inspire Palestinians through her craft, to start their
own tatreez journey and have it become a way for them to connect with their ancestors
and their culture. For non-Palestinians, her hope is that tatreez serves as a gateway
for them to learn about the Palestinian struggle and stand in solidarity with Palestine.
Monday, March 11
Author Talk with Kyla Zhao
Noon–1 p.m Hearthside Lounge (2313)
About Valley Verified
Imagine The Devil Wears Prada meets Legally Blonde, but this time Elle Woods is a young Asian woman tackling the cutthroat startup world.
In Valley Verified, Zoe Zeng is forced to leave her fashion job and take on a new challenge at a Silicon
Valley startup, where she must secure an eight-figure investment that could make or
break the company—and her future. Thrown into an unfamiliar environment with no support
system, Zoe embarks on a journey that challenges her perceptions of success and fulfillment.
As she navigates the tech industry's complexities, Zoe realizes that to find her voice,
she must tackle not just the doubts of others, but also her own insecurities in a
male-dominated industry.
Valley Verified available as print book, eBook, audiobook:
About Author Kyla Zhao
Kyla Zhao writes novels starring women of color in the workplace. Her first book The Fraud Squad was a buzz pick by Good Morning America and a #1 new release in Asian-American literature
on Kindle. Her second novel Valley Verified came out worldwide in January 2024. Kyla and her books have been featured by media
outlets such as Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed, Tatler, etc. She was also selected by Forbes for its 30 Under 30 list and Tatler as a Leader of Tomorrow.
Kyla now works in Silicon Valley after graduating from Stanford University in 2021. A native Singaporean, she’s still trying to understand why Californians adore hiking and Patagonia fleeces so much.
Follow and connect with Zhao:
- Newsletter:
- Instagram:
- TikTok:
- Twitter:
Tuesday, March 12
Virtual Mental Health Talk: Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Noon–1 p.m.
and event info will be sent directly to you
Join us for a virtual talk with 17³Ô¹Ï’s mental health partner tbh
The glass ceiling is often known as a barrier(s) preventing women from getting into positions of leadership from work to clubs to everyday life. In this hour, we seek to understand some of those barriers both in society and in your personal life. Understanding what barriers are holding you back will allow you to start to break the barriers. While we can't change the world in one hour, we can start to take control of our mental health and get tips and tricks to break through our own personal barriers.
Join tbh Coach Sofia for one hour of healing and reflection. Bring a glass, plate, or piece of paper, and get ready to write down those barriers and "break" them. We hope to see you there.
Tuesday, March 19
Virtual Scholar Talk with 17³Ô¹Ï Women's Studies Instructor Dolores Davison
Noon–1 p.m.
The Supreme Court's decision in 2022 to overturn the Dobbs decision and therefore overturn Roe v. Wade came as a shock to many, but the erosion of women's reproductive rights have been happening for decades, almost since the original passage of Roe V. Wade in 1973. We'll discuss what reproductive rights are, why they have been controversial, and what the future may hold.
Learn more about Dolores Davison
Dolores Davison is professor and chair in the departments of History and Women’s Studies
at 17³Ô¹Ï. She received her Baccalaureate degree from the University of
California, Davis, in history, with minors in political science and Russian; her M.A.
in history from the University of Oregon; and she is ABD from the University of Illinois,
Chicago, with a focus on gender and history. She served as the President of the Academic
Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC). She was also 17³Ô¹Ï Academic
Senate President for 6.5 years, as well as serving as District Academic Senate President
for 17³Ô¹Ï-DeAnza and as curriculum chair, and currently serves as a director on
the California Community College Baccalaureate Association board.
Her research interests in Russian theological history, specifically focused on women in the staroobriadtsy (Old Ritualist or Old Believer) movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, led to travel throughout Russia and Eastern Europe, and she continues to research the roles of gender in the medieval and Renaissance European world, particularly in the city of Firenze (Florence), Italy, as well as modern gender roles in American and international history.
Wednesday, March 20
Women's History Month Closing Ceremony: Celebrating the Women of 17³Ô¹Ï w/ Special Speaker Dr. Kristina Whalen
Noon–1 p.m. Dining Hall
Join us for the grand finale of Women's History Month as President Whalen takes the stage to share her inspiring journey as a woman in the workforce. In a powerful closing ceremony, she reflects on challenges overcome and milestones achieved, uniting us in celebration of the achievements of women everywhere. Don't miss this empowering conclusion to a month dedicated to honoring and recognizing the incredible contributions of women throughout history.
This event will include special recognition of 17³Ô¹Ï’s women of all backgrounds, music, prizes, and more surprises.
More details to be announced soon!
Complimentary food and beverage will be provided.
WHM Planning Committee Members
Thank you to all our students, faculty and staff who helped plan our WHM events this month.
- Zara Ainge, Co-Chair
- Shahana Shaik, Co-Chair
- Fatima Jinnah
- Cynthia Brannvall
- Amit Freikorn
- Harini Nagappan
- Sanne Hoogenraad
- Daphne Small
- Victoria Strelnikova, Advisor
