There are a couple of places I go on UNC’s campus when the world feels overwhelming and I need some help handling what the day is throwing at me.
If my day is overwhelming and I need to get away, to feel safe, I walk down South Road toward the Sonja Haynes Stone Center. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings on campus, and it holds one of my favorite places at UNC: the Carolina Women’s Center.
On a normal day, I come into the Women’s Center and collapse onto the couch, make myself a cup of tea and chat about my day with Cassidy, Shelley and Clare, the wonderful staff. They consistently affirm whatever feelings I’m having and encourage me to be brave and listen to my instincts.
On tough days I’ll walk into the Women’s Center and head straight to Cassidy Johnson’s office. Cassidy is the gender violence services coordinator and one of my very favorite people on campus. Her entire job is to be a confidential advocate for anyone who is experiencing, or has experienced, gender-based violence. No matter what their gender identity.
When I experienced sexual violence and needed to push back an exam, she coached me through the entire process and assured me that everything I was feeling was valid. She’s always the first person I recommend when a friend is dealing with any gender-based discrimination or violence because she always treats survivors with respect and warmth. UNC would be a much better place if we had, like, 20 of her. Seriously, everyone should be throwing money at the Women’s Center because there is a great need for confidential advocates.
On busy days when I feel overwhelmed but I don’t want to go to the library, I’ll set up shop at the Women’s Center. More often than not, I’m at the Women’s Center not because I’m in crisis but because it just feels good to be there, among so many people who care deeply about making UNC a better place.
Clare Counihan serves as the program coordinator for faculty and staff — she works to make UNC a safe, equitable workplace. I’m especially excited about the work she does around expanding breast-feeding locations around campus and ensuring that staff have access to child care.
Shelley Gist is the program coordinator for students, and she’s responsible for many of the amazing events that the Women’s Center hosts, like their monthly coffee conversations, informal discussions focusing on the role that gender plays in the lives of college students. She also manages tons of interns and work-study students. If you’ve been to an amazing, gender-focused event on campus, Shelley was probably behind it.
It’s really easy to take places like the Women’s Center for granted because we see them as just another item on a list of campus resources. So if no one has told you before, I’ll do it now — the Carolina Women’s Center is a real place on campus, the staff is here for you and they want to help you and support you on good days and bad.
