Upcoming Events
Let’s Talk about Reproductive Justice as a Provost's Advisory Committee on Women's Concerns (PACWC) Initiative
Funded by the Year of Dialogue and Discourse
April 17
8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
2500 Posvar Hall
In-person and virtual options available
Jump to event schedule
Reproductive justice as a framework extends beyond reproductive rights by focusing on the systematic considerations that shape an individual’s ability to make choices about their reproductive lives. This initiative is grounded in the definition of Reproductive Justice by SisterSong, as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.
The Let’s Talk about Reproductive Justice as a Provost's Advisory Committee on Women's Concerns (PACWC) Initiative focuses on offering space and opportunities for Pitt’s University community and beyond to consider the discourse and dialogue of reproductive justice.
Using community dialogues, roundtable discussions, and listening sessions this effort has three objectives:
- Build a shared understanding of reproductive justice as a movement that supports sexual autonomy and gender freedom for all.
- Engage with strategies to build dialogue on reproductive justice.
- Engage with PACWC’s mission, mandate, and responsiveness in the context of a reproductive justice framework.
This initiative has three sessions.
Session #1
Community Dialogue: Building a Shared Understanding of Reproductive Justice
- Build a shared understanding of reproductive justice as a movement that supports sexual autonomy and gender freedom for all.
- Discuss the historical context of reproductive justice.
- Why is it important to discuss the complexities of reproductive justice currently? Why is there an urgency to expand the reproductive justice discourse at Pitt?
Session #2
Dialogue and Discourse of Reproductive Justice
Using a roundtable discussion format to encourage collaboration, inclusivity, and the exchange of ideas, this discussion seeks to grapple with the following concerns in reproductive justice:
- Why is it hard to talk and shift the discourse on reproductive justice?
- How do we consider a framework beyond a single-axis white feminist reproductive rights framework?
- What are the binaries/dichotomies that shape dialogue and discourse around reproductive justice?
Session #3
PACWC Focused Listening Session
Engage with PACWC’s mission, mandate, and responsiveness in the context of a reproductive justice framework. This session offers present and past PACWC members an opportunity to collectively engage in dialogue about the present and future roles and contributions of PACWC. This shared space is created to listen, share, and connect regarding different perspectives about the role that PACWC plays in expanding reproductive justice focused efforts in the Pitt community.
This session seeks to consider:
- Identifying intentional steps to show our collective commitment to gender justice.
EVENT AGENDA
A light breakfast and lunch will be served.
8:30-9 a.m.
Opening Comments, Welcomes, Introductions
9-10:15 a.m.
Session #1: Community Dialogue: Building a Shared Understanding of Reproductive Justice
Panelists:
Dara Mendez, School of Public Health
Jada Shirrell, Healthy Start
Sonya Borrero, School of Medicine
Moderator:
Mehret Talabi, School of Medicine
10:30-11:45 a.m.
Session #2: Dialogue and Discourse of Reproductive Justice
Session Facilitator:
Greer Donley, School of Law
Noon-1 p.m.
Session #3: PACWC Listening Session (for present and past PACWC members)
Engage with PACWC’s mission, mandate, and responsiveness in the context of a reproductive justice framework.
Session Facilitator:
Melanie Hughes, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
Check back for more information on upcoming PACWC events.
Earlier Events
A Celebration of Newly Promoted Women Faculty
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
3-5 p.m.
2500 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Featuring a lecture by:
Lise Vesterlund
Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Economics
“The No Club: How Dead-end Work Derails Women’s Careers and Ways to Fix That”
PACWC 40th Anniversary Celebration
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the Provost is hosting an event, aligned with the Year of Emotional Well-Being, focused on the well-being of our women faculty, staff, and students at Pitt. Learn more about the day's program.
A Celebration of Newly Promoted Women Faculty
An annual event for women faculty in support of your newly promoted women faculty.
Annual Event to Welcome New Women Faculty
PACWC and the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program co-sponsor the Annual Lecture and Reception Welcoming New Women Faculty. Featured speakers have included:
- Adriana Helbig, Associate Professor, Department of Music and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and CGS, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, delivered a lecture on "Women's Resilience and Resistance during Russia's Ware in Ukraine" during the 2023 event.
- Laura Lovett, Professor of History and Director of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program, gave a lecture entitled “Making Black Women’s Political Activism Visible” at the 2022 event.
- Melanie Hughes, Professor of Sociology, gave a lecture entitled "The Persistence of Gender Inequalities in Politics: A Global Perspective" at the 2019 event.
- Sara Goodkind, Associate Professor of Social Work, gave a lecture entitled "Redefining Resilience and Reframing Resistance: Girls' Empowerment in the #MeToo Era" at the 2018 event.
- Amanda Godley, Professor of English Education and Language, Literacy & Culture, gave a lecture entitled "Gender, Intersectionality, and Equity in U.S. Schools" at the 2017 event.
- Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski, Distinguished Professor of French, gave a lecture entitled "Medieval Holy Women as Political Strategists" at the 2016 event.
- Lisa S. Parker, Professor of Human Genetics and Director of the Master of Arts Program in Bioethics, gave a lecture entitled "Gender, Genes, and Justice" at the 2015 event.
- Lara E. Putnam, Professor and Chair, Department of History, gave a lecture entitled “Can We Worry about Children without Pathologizing Parents? Evidence from Transnational Black History” at the 2014 event.
- Kathleen DeWalt (Musante), Professor of Anthropology, gave a lecture entitled “Are We Developed Yet? Gender and Development 20 Years after Beijing" at the 2013 event.
- Debra Brake, Professor of Law, gave a lecture entitled “Telling Tales of Migrant Workers: Religion, Activism, and Women’s Life Scripts” at the 2012 event.
- Dr. Jane Cauley, Professor of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, gave a lecture entitled “Vitamin D, Falls and Bone Health: Just the Facts” at the 2011 event.
- Dr. Nicole Constable, Professor of Anthropology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, Arts and Sciences, gave a lecture entitled “Telling Tales of Migrant Workers: Religion, Activism, and Women’s Life Scripts.” at the 2010 event.
- Dr. Nancy Davidson, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers, gave a lecture entitled “Breast Cancer in the Molecular Era” at the 2009 event.
- Dr. Lucy Fischer, Distinguished Professor of Film Studies and the Director of the Film Studies Program, gave a lecture entitled “Seeing Stars: Bette Davis as Screen Actress in the 1930s” at the 2008 event.
- Dr. Lise Vesterlund, Andrew W. Mellon Chair in Economics, gave a lecture titled "How Costly is Diversity? Affirmative Action in Light of Gender Differences in Competitive Attitudes" at the 2007 event.
- Ms. Toi Derricotte, Professor of English, presented a reading titled "Beginning Dialogues: Mother & Daughter" at the 2006 event.
- Dr. Katherine Wisner, Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Epidemiology, and Women’s Studies, gave a lecture titled “From Fever Flowed Fame: A Psychiatric Evaluation of Florence Nightingale” at the 2005 event.
- Dr. Donna Gabaccia, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of History, gave a lecture titled “Nations of Immigrants” at the 2004 event.
See a listing of past PACWC events at PACWC Historical Archive.