Women's Care Baskets | Photo by Rose Taylor | The Wright State Guardian
On Friday, March 22, the Ethereal Epsilon Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta met in Rike Hall to create care baskets for victims of gender-based violence, especially women or girls of color, at YWCA. The baskets contained basic essentials and positive messages.
Start of event
The sorority opened the night with a presentation on the topic of the night’s meeting and a highlight of women for Women’s History Night. The theme of the meeting was to make care baskets full of hygiene products and more to help support the individuals at YWCA.
According to YWCA’s website, the organization, “provides direct services to survivors of gender-based violence, housing, youth programming, and advocacy to support marginalized individuals and families, especially women and girls of color, while working to challenge structural barriers to equity.”
The baskets in particular were for those in the domestic violence shelters.
Before moving on to the activity, members of the sorority talked about some of their favorite women and their accomplishments. According to their slideshow, one of these women was Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, who “designed the sanitary belt in the 1920s, an adjustable invention with a moisture-proof napkin pocket to help prevent leaks.”
While Kenner did not make a profit from this invention, it has helped women for roughly a century.
The baskets
Members set up baskets, decorations and essential goods for attendees to organize as they pleased. The necessities included dental supplies, deodorant, pads, tampons, socks and cleaning supplies, such as towels, cleaning wipes and soap.
Along with these, students were told to include candy and a special message for the people at YWCA to read. Messages included positive words, including “You are fantastic!” and “You are so strong!”
In total, students made 24 baskets to donate to YWCA.
Aiba Kake-Camara is one of the members of Delta Sigma Theta who helped organize the event. She was excited to hold an event that would impact her community.
“We decided to host the care basket-making event because we wanted to have some sort of event that made an impact on the community. We wanted to celebrate Women's History Month and cater to women who have been through challenges and obstacles in their lives,” Kake-Camara said.
Conversations after
Students gathered to have a discussion about their identity and women in their lives. Questions on the presentation included “What does it mean for you to be a Black woman?” and “Who are some women that have been an inspiration to you?”
The conversation led to a critique of women putting down other women rather than uplifting them, as well as how women are not given the credit they deserve in political, technical or other fields.
Many students brought up their mothers as women who have inspired them. Students reminded each other that it is important to impact the world with their voice and advocate for Black women.
Students left the event feeling uplifted and encouraged after the conversation and their good deeds.
For those interested in YWCA, you can visit their website for information about how to volunteer or how to get any help. They are currently accepting art submissions from victims of sexual assault, domestic violence or interpersonal violence.
