By Bert Eugene
On Thursday, March 27, Brooklyn College staff, students, and alumni gathered in the Student Center’s Gold Room for the “Blooming Gala”, an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Center here at BC.
The Women’s Center, established in 1974, is the oldest women’s center at any CUNY school and is among some of the oldest college women’s centers in the U.S.. Located at 227 Ingersoll Hall Extension, the Women’s Center provides a plethora of both personal and professional resources for students.
“For the last five decades, the Women’s Center has been committed to progress and empowerment of women, and with many centers on campus, our primary goal is to have some form of expansion and access for the availability of emotional, intelligent, physical, and financial wellbeing for every person and individual on campus,” said Amber Prophete, program coordinator for the Women’s Center, during opening remarks. “Our mission is to create and promote programs, not only to raise awareness for women’s issues, but also to empower individuals to take control of their lives.”
Prophete is a first-year graduate student at BC, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a double minor in Psychology and Music. She, along with Rabia Khalid, the Muslim Women’s Leadership and Development Project’s (MWLDP) program coordinator, work together at the Women’s Center to organize and host events and workshops for students on campus.
“One of the most meaningful experiences for me has been hosting reproductive health workshops, helping individuals gain a better understanding of their bodies and overall well-being. I was also able to collaborate with Planned Parenthood to provide free Plan B on campus – a resource that’s typically around $50, which isn’t always accessible to everyone. Knowing that this initiative has helped make reproductive care more attainable is something I’m really proud of,” Prophete told The Vanguard
The gala featured music performances, a stand-up comedy routine, a wide selection of wonderful food, an awards ceremony, and a fundraising raffle at the end of the night.
The Women’s Center hopes to see new members who may not be aware of its presence on campus.
“Being part of the Women’s Center has been an incredibly meaningful experience – it truly feels like a home away from home. Over the past few years, I’ve been inspired by the strong sense of community, the friendships that have formed, and the mutual understanding that brings people together. It’s been eye-opening to witness the support and connection that flourish in this space,” said Prophete. “We love seeing new faces and hearing how individuals like to use our space! We are open to everyone, and our ultimate goal [is] to have students feel safe and have an enjoyable space on campus.”
Furthermore, the gala featured keynote speaker Rana Abdelhamid, activist and founder of Malikah, formerly known as the Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE), and is an anti-violence organization that teaches self-defense to women. Born in Queens and of Egyptian descent, Rana studied karate as a child. At the age of 15, she was assaulted by a man who had attempted to take off her hijab. This experience sparked what would become the beginning of her activism.
“It was a really vulnerable, isolating, scary moment for me as a young person […] but I also had this rage inside me that made me become the organizer that I am today, I wanted to do something. I wanted to make sure that nobody, regardless of what you look like, regardless of who you are, regardless of how you practice, regardless of how you identify, if you walk down the street, you should not experience any form of violence. You should feel safe in your skin,” Abdelhamid said.
Malikah began as an idea pitch at Abdelhamid’s mosque for a karate class. Over time, it grew into a global organization committed to being a force against gendered violence.
“And when you have a physical space that you can just gather and kick back in […] where you can just like, be you authentically, not worry about anything,” Abdelhamid stated. “That is the importance of the space that we’re building, and that’s the importance of the space that you all are a part of.”
Students interested in upcoming events from The Women’s Center can reach them at their Instagram, @womenscenterbc