Women empowerment has become a movement in recent decades. Throughout history, women have been degraded in many ways — from simple name-calling to pure discrimination in the workplace and real world. Sadly, this type of bullying still occurs, but more women are standing up for one another and are there to empower each other. A group with this as its mission exists at Lakota West — it is the “Women Empowering Women club”.  

“Women Empowering Women” is a group that meets on Mondays twice a month and is run by Marie Spruance, Chelsea Adfazi, and Christina Amundson. It is not only open to young women, but men as well. The meetings are regularly attended by over 25 young women, and it is most likely the most diverse group on our campus.  Everyone participates in exercises that can help build one’s confidence and self-esteem. Kristina Admundson, said that the group participates in  a lot of “get to know you” activities. This helps build community  During meetings, people are also encouraged to share something they are proud of. Occasionally the group will also have guest speakers to share their experiences — sometimes as women in male dominated fields, as women who are LGBT, or from different backgrounds, give any advice they might have, which can bring new perspectives to the table. She also mentioned that the club is planning an awareness week later in the year so be sure to look out for that!

Cristina noted that the club is great for fostering connection within the community and can help people relate to one another more; the group is very supportive of everyone. The group’s vibe is very welcoming and uplifting. It is also a very safe space to share personal experiences. You can join if you feel that this group represents something you are a strong advocate for, or just to try something new and make more friends. Sometimes all a person needs is someone to listen.