Syracuse University club hosts first Women’s History Month celebration

Women in National Security hosted their first annual Women’s History Month Celebration earlier today in the Goldstein Auditorium.

WINS’ president, Ava Downey came up with the idea for the event, and said this is the first time a large-scale event has been held for Women’s History Month in Syracuse University history.

“Getting 35 booths to participate and eight performers, that was a whole feat in itself. We were not expecting that sort of attendance,” Shristi Saha, WINS vice president, said.

WINS is a new organization on campus, founded in 2024. It began with a focus on national security, hence its name, but has moved towards a broader mission of diversity education and empowerment.

“We’ve really grown into just trying to get the whole campus invested,” Downey said. “Anyone interested in any field can join, even if you don’t think it’s related. If it’s like theater, we still have a position for you.” 

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With only four people on their e-board, planning an event at such a large scale took heavy effort from everyone. Each officer spent hours cold-calling, emailing, and DMing organizations around campus that they thought might be interested.

“There was no structure to it. We did everything at once, but I feel like it turned out pretty well,” Saha said.

Many of the organizations tabling had special pamphlets and activities laid out tailored to the event. The SU Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics department, for example, had a multitude of infographics on “Women Around the World” showcasing different cultures and accomplishments of women in said cultures.

“Women have been doing things for our society since the day it started. Now is just when they’re mainly recognized for it,” Emma Tavarez, a sophomore working for the department, said.

Performances included dancing, singing, and even a DJ set. Audience members loudly supported whoever was on stage. 

Photo by Grace McCloskey

Kalabash Dance Troupe performs to a mix of cultural music at a Women’s History Month celebration on the SU campus Friday.

SU’s only Caribbean-based dance team, the Kalabash Dance Troupe, performed to a remix of cultural music.

“Honestly, it feels very empowering. We thought this event was just a perfect opportunity for us to show our representation and our culture,” the group’s vice president, Aliana John, said.

Nationally, women’s rights are constantly being discussed and assessed. Recently, some have accused the Trump administration of rolling back federal protections for women, including the U.S. withdrawal from the UN Women Executive Board. 

“The more we see people’s voices being diminished and being ignored, it becomes increasingly important to give voice to people who feel that they don’t have it,” Downey said.

Students say that an event like this, along with being able to find community, is so important to growth and building a diverse atmosphere on campus.

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for this team, I don’t feel like I would have felt like I belonged. This was the place for me,” said John when talking about the Kalabash Dance Troupe.

Although Downey and Saha are graduating this year, they hope the Women’s History Month Celebration will live on. They named it the first annual for a reason.

“It’s really a culmination of all organizations and all women that we’ve been able to work with, a celebration for them. We hope people realize how wonderful you are,” Saha said.