Alex Morris, senior editor

Here at Warren Wilson, if you bring up the words “Women’s Resource Center,”  the reaction will be a wide variety of descriptions that can range from positive to potentially hurtful. Fortunately,  for not only what was formerly known as the Women’s Resource Center, but also the RISE Project (Resistance, Intervention, Safety and Empowerment) there have been efforts to change the negative stereotypes.

On Saturday night, April 26, the crew formerly known as the Women’s Resource Center held a late night dance party to celebrate its new name – EMPOWER. Freshman Julie Sorensen works on the crew and said the new name stands for Educating Members of the community On Privilege and Oppression to Work toward gender Equality with Resistance. While the name is a mouthful to say, both Sorensen and her coworker sophomore Nicole Connor are hoping that the name change and new philosophy will be a way to be more inclusive.

“The space was going to waste as the Women’s Resources Center because it wasn’t serving the purpose that it shouldhave,” Sorensen said.

She said that the new focus is still gender equality, but reiterated that gender equality also has to do with classism, racism, homophobia, etc. The new idea, according to both Connor and Sorenson, is to bring more people from the community in, men and women, not all of whom identify as feminists.

Connor agreed that the new name came with new expectations. She is hoping there will be more men involved with EMPOWER now, and that fewer people will be put off by it.

Sorensen added that there was new furniture in the Stephenson basement as well as a new paint job to emphasize the change.

Prior to the name change, Connor worked on the planning committee for Take Back The Night, held on Tuesday, April 22, and hosted by the RISE Project.

Take Back the Night is an event held on campuses all over the United States that works to end sexual violence.

On Warren Wilson’s grounds, the night included a puppet show, planting flowers, a performance by poet Coert Abrosino, and a “speak out” at the end of the evening that gave everyone an opportunity to share his or her own personal story.

Topics addressed that night included sexual assault in college environments, the power of words, and also what students can do if they feel they are a survivor of such an incident. Eighteen cases of sexual assault on campus have been informally reported  this year, and not one formal report has been filed.

Students, faculty, and staff, including President Sandy Pfeifer walked all over the campus that evening to show their support.

Connor felt the night went really well. She felt that by the end of the evening there was a sense of solidarity among all who attended.