Press Releases
Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - Arts & Events
Homeless Women's Group Shares Stories, Poetry and Activism
CONTACT:
- Laurie Mercier, College of Liberal Arts, 360/546-9646, mercier@vancouver.wsu.edu
- Desiree Hellegers, College of Liberal Arts, 360/546-9643, helleger@vancouver.wsu.edu
- Sheri Byrd, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360/546-9602, byrds@vancouver.wsu.edu
VANCOUVER, Wash. - Representatives from the Women's Housing Equality and Enhancement League, will speak at Washington State University Vancouver, 12 to 1:15 p.m., April 17 in the Library building, room 201. The event is free and open to the public.
The WHEEL women, all homeless or formerly homeless, will discuss and read from their recently published poetry anthology, "Beloved Community," which represents the first national effort to feature the writings of unhoused women. The presentation is sponsored by the WSU Vancouver College of Liberal Arts Speakers Program and the American Social Movements and Culture class.
They will also be speaking at 6:30 p.m. April 17, at In Other Words Books, 8 NE Killingsworth, Portland, and at the WSU Vancouver Center for Social and Environmental Justice conference on Health Disparities April 18.
Begun in 1993, WHEEL has been instrumental in pressuring the city of Seattle to respond to the growing ranks of the homeless in the city. They have called attention to the potentially lethal effects of homelessness over the last several years and have successfully lobbied the city government for the creation of a memorial to the homeless who have died on the streets of Seattle.
WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205, or via C-Tran bus service. We offer 16 bachelor's degrees, nine master's degrees, one doctorate degree and more than 35 fields of study. Visit us on the Web at http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu.
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