The room, though small, still had a comfortable atmosphere. One female student ate lunch on a long white table, as she worked on an assignment on her laptop. Two female students sat together and quietly chatted, on a comfortable small bright orange couch in the side of the room. The moment someone walked in, they were greeted by the student assistants, whose desks sat near the entrance of the room, who are prepared to answer any questions that individuals may have. This is the Women’s Resource Center.
The Women’s Resource Center is located in the Santos Manuel Student Union, upstairs in Room 221. The purpose of the center is to provide support for students by offering programs that focus on issues revolving around women; in addition, the center provides a supportive place for women where diversity is celebrated.
Starr Booth, a student assistant for the Women’s Resource Center, stated that the center was working on their “Weeks of Welcome.”
“It is pretty much welcoming the community into the Women’s Resource Center,” Booth clarified. “Just putting on events with the working women’s workshop, as well as the feminist ally and intersectional feminist program… and then we will be featuring a film on Friday.”
The Women’s Resource Center offers various resources for students. The center has complimentary water, coffee, a microwave, and refrigerator. Additionally, they have free pads, tampons, condoms, dental dams, and pepper spray. Furthermore, the center has access to computers, internet, and email.
Booth explained other resources the center has.
“We currently have the feminist library right now where you can check any of these books out,” Booth added. She pointed to the bookshelves in the corner of the room.
“You just have to fill out a form and you can keep the books for a week and bring it back to us. We offer free printing with up to 4 pages. If it’s more than 4, it has to be 8 in total to front and back.”
As stated earlier, the center has a refrigerator and a microwave, and they also have tables and couches which gives students an environment to eat, rest, as well as study.
Cristina Blanco, a student, stated that she enjoys the Women’s Resource center due to it being a small community and that it is also a place where she can feel comfortable.
“Basically it is like a little community,” Blanco explained. “Even though people might not know each other, it is like they trust each other to leave their stuff and go… it is a good place to come to, to just do your work and feel comfortable.”
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