Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 17, 1991                   TAG: 9103150622
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: ROBERTA GREEN SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

WOMEN'S WEEK PREPARING TO LAUNCH 10TH YEAR OF ACTIVITIES

Now, with only a couple of weeks to go, the pieces are falling into place. Women's Week, March 31-April 6, will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

The Women's Week committee is composed of 10 to 15 volunteers: students, Tech faculty, some administrators, a few community women, said Priscilla Bergren-Thomas, this year's Women's Week coordinator. She describes herself as "almost a volunteer."

"We work on a consensus basis. It's part of our philosophy that the process is as important as the end product," she said. "What this means in practical terms is that it's hard to make fast decisions. In fact, all decisions are quite a feat of negotiation!"

Over the years, according to Bergren-Thomas, the event has evolved, and this year is no exception.

"Yes, this year has a different flavor than other years. We have a program that really talks about real women. It's not as academic as it's been other years."

Here's a sample of what's to come:

\ Two featured-speaker evenings: Cora Tucker, a black activist, and Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey, two former nuns who left the Catholic Church over the abortion issue.

\ "Descent of the Goddess," a play developed at Tech, followed by "M Words," a play written by Barbara Carlyle of the Tech Theater Department.

\ "The Take Back the Night March": "Last year was the first year for this event," Bergren-Thomas said. "We hope people will understand its message, which is empowering women."

\ Louise Kessel, feminist storyteller, who "tells stories where women aren't damsels in distress but are competent and empowered human beings."

\ "Grand Illusions - A Psychoanalysis of Marilyn Monroe": a film by Carel Rowe of Radford University.

\ Molara Ogandibe-Leslie, poet and professor from Nigeria, currently at the University of Toronto, discussing feminism in an African context.

\ "Women in Leadership: Different Voices, Different Visions": A one-day conference for college students to encourage an awareness of factors affecting opportunities for women on-campus and beyond.

\ Workshops on women and agriculture, homophobia, money, eating disorders and education.

\ Panel discussion of women working for peace.

\ The annual events, including the Women's Run, the art show and the poetry and fiction reading by local women writers.

"We're trying to focus on issues that women face as mothers and workers, both nationally and internationally," Bergren-Thomas said. "Part of promoting women's issues is promoting issues of importance to all human beings."

For more information about Virginia Tech Women's Week, call the Women's Studies Office at Tech at 231-7615.