MCC plans activities for Women's History Month

For Women's History Month, McHenry County College is "Writing Women Back into History" by offering a variety of fun and educational events to celebrate, including the fifth annual Women's Film Festival free lectures, a Women's Care Fair, and more.

"We are thrilled to offer Women's History Month with a variety of educational events and entertainment to showcase women and address the critical challenges they're facing today," said Kate Midday, English instructor and Women's History Month organizer. "This year's theme will address the need to honor women's achievements on a local and a global scale."

The fifth annual Women's Film Festival, from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7, features three fascinating films by and about the ways in which women's stories and their places in history have been marginalized, if not completely eradicated. The films will be shown in the MCC Conference Center, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake. Admission is $5 and free for students. Refreshments will be sold by the MCC student book club, the Cheshire Cheese Literary Society, as a fundraiser. Visit www.mchenry.edu/filmfest for more information about each film.

The festival screening schedule is: 1:15 p.m., "The Life and Times of Sarah Baartman: The Hottentot Venus," the fascinating story of a Khoi Khoi woman who was taken from South Africa and then exhibited as a freak across Britain; 2:10 p.m., "The Women's Kingdom," the last-known functioning matriarchy, Mosuo women control their own finances and do not marry or live with partners; and 3:10 p.m., "Clara Lemlich: A Strike Leader's Diary," a fledgling union organizer, Lemlich launched the uprising of the 20,000 garment workers in New York City.

Admission fees will go toward enhancing the collection of women's films in the MCC Library.

The second annual Women's Care Fair and interactive expo will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, in the MCC Commons Area in Building B, featuring free demos, samples and interactive displays, including free chair massages, self-defense tips, and nutritional advice.

In conjunction with Women's History Month, the "Take a Walk in Her Shoes Ball" will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 19 at the Holiday Inn-Crystal Lake. This event highlights the personal journeys women take and shoes are symbolic of the steps everyone takes in their lives.

Half of the proceeds from this event will establish a new "Women in Transition" scholarship for a woman 24 years or older to attend MCC. The other half of the proceeds will benefit the Friends of McHenry County College Foundation's efforts, including the MCC Promise Program. To make reservations, visit www.supportmcc.org/shoes.

Women's History Month concludes on Wednesday, March 31, with a Book of the Month Discussion that will include discussing "Push," by Sapphire, the book that was adapted for the film, "Precious." The discussion will focus on issues of race, abuse, literacy, poverty and ultimate resurrection through unbelievable tenacity, and is sure to bring about another part of forgotten, or ignored, women's stories.

A calendar of events for MCC's Women's History Month is available at www.mchenry.edu/women.