Women Reading @ CSU is a book club designed for CSU women, non-binary employees and graduate students, that focuses on appreciating women’s differences, intersectional identities, and diverse experiences.
The selected books for each semester center women’s vast and complex experiences by engaging with writing from women of various backgrounds and in multiple genres. Selected titles are also offered at a discount through the CSU Bookstore in an effort to increase access for those who would like to participate in the book club.
One of the unique aspects of this club is that participants are not required to commit to the club itself, but rather can choose which books and meetings to join based on their interest. Three book club meetings will be held in Fall 2018 semester, with roughly 5 weeks between each meeting.
The first meeting of the semester is set for Sept. 19, noon- 1 p.m., in Lory Student Center room 386; the book under discussion is Hunger By Roxanne Gay. Go to the Women & Gender Collaborative website for more information about upcoming meetings and books.
Created by staff
Women Reading @ CSU developed over the past two years with funding from the Women & Gender Collaborative grant program after already running for one year under the leadership of Lindsay Mason, the assistant director of Off-Campus Life. The organizing committee for the past two years has also consisted of Graduate and International Student Advisor Katya Stewart-Sweeney, Accounting Technician Marian Willis and Bookstore Administrative Assistant Fran Wilson.
Now entering its third year, the book club is undergoing a transition in leadership while creating the opportunity for other staff members to get involved in moving the program forward.
“Serving as the founder and chair for the Women Reading @ CSU book club since 2015 has been a meaningful experience for me,” said Mason. “Hearing the impact the books and book club meetings have had on other women at CSU has been powerful, and I am so appreciative of the opportunity to provide a space for folks to come together, learn, and share with one another.”
As the book club transitions into a regular offering from the CSU Bookstore with support from the Women & Gender Collaborative, the committee is seeking new members to participate in the program planning and selection of books to read. “For me, Women Reading @ CSU was a way to meet new people on campus and now it’s become an oasis,” said Willis. “I have gained confidence through thought-provoking reading that I look forward to every month.”
Creating community one book at a time
“This program is an example of how an idea can become a reality with direct impact on the culture of CSU and the
experiences of those among our campus community,” said Cori Wong, assistant vice president for gender equity and director of the Women & Gender Collaborative at CSU. “I’m eager to see it continue to grow, particularly as more people with a love of reading get involved and share their perspectives to help inform how the program moves forward.”
Women and non-binary staff, faculty, and graduate students who are interested in supporting the Women Reading @ CSU book club are encouraged to email Cori Wong (cori.wong@colostate.edu) or Fran Wilson (Frances.Wilson@ColoState.EDU) for more information on how they can get involved.
