By Aaron Uscinowicz ’22

The Arcadia University student organization Womxn Rising is fighting for social justice on campus and beyond. 

Previously, Womxn Rising existed as Arcadia’s For The Women, but as club membership deteriorated, President Jenna Pagel ’21 decided it was time to rebrand.

“I reactivated it with a new name, Womxn Rising, for a couple different reasons,” said Pagel, an International Studies major. “When I was a member, my first-year and sophomore year I saw a lot of pushback from men on campus who would see the title and think it’s not for them. I didn’t want the organization to be an all female space, I wanted it to be something that all students could be a part of.”

The most important reason to Pagel to make the name change was to ensure the club didn’t exclude people who didn’t identify as women, and that non-binary and trans women felt the organization was a safe space as well.

Though the pandemic made many events impossible, Pagel has high hopes for the future of the club.

“One of my favorite events that we’ve done in the past is Philadelphia’s March to End Rape Culture,” said Pagel. “The City of Philadelphia actually hosts the march usually in September. Typically we would spend a few meetings on it and talk about its importance and then we’d go into Philadelphia together.”

In the past, the club would also have two large events in the spring semester. The first is a documentary screening about issues the club wants to inform the community on. Most recently, in 2018, the club screened The Hunting Ground, raising awareness about rape on college campuses. The second event is a performance of “The Vagina Monologues.” The performance is normally held in Stiteler Auditorium and is a fundraising opportunity for nonprofits benefiting women.

Though she is graduating this year, Pagel hopes that younger students will take up the mantle of the organization. To learn more about the organization, contact Womxn Rising through their Twitter, @WomxnRisingAU, or contact Pagel at jpagel@arcadia.edu.