Female bookworms on campus are invited to come together at The EveryWoman Book Club, a service of the Women’s Resource Center, which is seeking new members.
Kathy Echols, Women’s Resource Center staff therapist and book club member, said the club selects books written “for women and by women” that range from comedy to history and every genre in between.
The club is open to graduate students, professors and women in the greater campus community. It meets the fourth Thursday of every month.
“It’s a very fun part of my job because I love to read and I get to read books that maybe I wouldn’t have otherwise,” Echols said. “It’s a great way to come together with other women.”
Paige Miller, a member and the Campus Violence programs coordinator, said she enjoys interacting with women she might not run across normally.
“You may see a women’s struggle in the past and what’s currently facing us,”Miller said. “It tells us where we’ve been and where we are now.”
The club also fits into the broader work of the Women’s Resource Center.
“Our overall global mission is promoting social justice and equality of women,” Echols said. “Reading the books offers a global picture of women’s issues.”
Furthermore, the book club offers women a safe space to discuss issues that they face on a day-to-day basis. These issues include domestic and dating violence, marriage and divorce, reproductive choice, and motherhood.
“We have created this space for women to come together and talk about women’s issues,” Echols said. “It’s empowering to talk about the issues. I think it fits a niche in the population.”
Echols encourages everyone who is interested to come out and join the book club.
“The main thing for women to know is that they are all welcome,” she said. “We have lunch and fabulous discussions. You are able to express yourself openly among women and enjoy food.”
Those who are interested in learning more about the book club or becoming a part of it may call the Women’s Resource Center at (205) 348-5040 or email Kathy Echols at [email protected].
