April 2021 Newsletter
(This post was originally sent as an email)
Dear WCC Members,
It’s been a month. So much has happened since our last newsletter that it is hard to know where to start. Here at WCC, we are pushing through, getting to the end of this unusually challenging year, and trying to help each other where we can along the way.
In the following, we will give you a quick update with some highlights of our recent activities and a couple of announcements about upcoming events.
Topics in this email:
WCC Book Club Event – this Thursday 4/22 at 8pm
Gathering “In Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Racism”
WCC Member Survey – shape the WCC
WCC: Celebrating Our Community
Host or volunteer for a WCC event
Help an Undergrad with their capstone project by filling out a survey – deadline Monday 4/19
1. WCC Book Club
The inaugural WCC Book Club will meet THIS WEEK. To kick us off, we will be reading Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide. Princeton University Press has generously partnered with us to offer 30% off and free shipping if you order from their website with the code WDA21-FG (good through May 31). You do not have to have read the book to attend this event, and we welcome all members to join us for a discussion about gender disparities in the workplace and in negotiations.
We will meet virtually to discuss the book on Thursday April 22 8PM ET. Please register here by 5PM the day of the event to receive the link.
PREVIEW: Our next book club will be a collaborative event between WCC and the LCC/Winkler Prize committees to read this year’s award-winning articles for each of the paper prizes. We will meet in the first or second week in June to celebrate the work of these amazing scholars and discuss how we can support cutting-edge scholarship like this. More details to come!
2. Gathering “In Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Racism”
On March 18, we collaborated with the AAACC to host a gathering called “In Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Racism,” in response to the attack on Asian women and business owners in Atlanta. Over a hundred people signed up for the event and at least eighty attended either in whole or in part. It was a powerful moment of community and solidarity for many of the attendees who showed up to share, to be supported, and to offer support. It also reaffirmed that we are not as alone as we sometimes feel. Through our future events, we at WCC hope to build on the community we created as well as try to support those who were not ready yet to gather with others.
At the end of the event, presenter Kelly Nguyen from the AAACC shared a list of resources which we include at the end of this email. Dr. Nandini Pandey referenced this event in her recent article comparing ancient and modern views about Asian women.
If you registered for the event but did not fill out the reflection form, please do so! The link was in the follow-up email we sent to registrants. If you are missing that email or link and registered for the event, please email us. We are using the data to plan future events and collaborations.
Looking forward...May is AAPI Heritage Month – look out for events at your local institutions to support the AAPI community.
3. WCC Member Survey
As we roll out our new initiatives, we want to make sure we are serving the needs and desires of our membership. To make sure we do that, we need your help.
Please fill out the member questionnaire to let us know how best we can serve YOU. We have already gotten very helpful feedback that we are using to shape future programming and WCC initiatives, including the new WCC Book Club, upcoming writing meetups, and a series of “practical pedagogy” workshops. Your input now will help us design our Summer and Fall programming.
4. WCC: Celebrating our Community
So, we already know we are an awesome community, but we in the WCC leadership want to do a better job of shining a light on the great things you all are doing throughout the year.
Do you have an update you'd like to share with WCC members about yourself? Did you publish a book or an article, win a grant or award, start a project, get promoted to a new role, expand your family, or create a podcast? Please complete this form and share it with us so we can compile, share, and celebrate you in upcoming communications!
5. Host or volunteer for a WCC event
We are shifting our programming to include “pop up” events in addition to the regularly scheduled events by the WCC as a way to empower our members. To do this, we would like to welcome all of our members to brainstorm possible events and/or volunteer to host them. Want to run a book club event? Hold a zoom writing group? Lead a pedagogy workshop? Organize a one-time happy hour? To suggest events or volunteer your services to support an event, fill out the WCC Event Ideas form!
N.B. We are looking for volunteers to lead some writing meet-ups this summer. If you are interested in hosting or joining, please fill out the form!
6. Survey for Undergrad Capstone -- due Monday 4/19
Please help a Classics undergraduate finish her senior capstone by filling out a survey! If you have a little time in your Monday, please fill this out by the evening. Here is the request (in her words):
The following survey is a part of a senior capstone in the Classics at Washington University in St. Louis. This 10–20-minute survey aims to assess allyship within Classics Departments and potential methods for fostering allyship, equity, and inclusion within US Classics Departments. This survey is open to anyone affiliated with their universities' Classics Department in any way at any level. All responses will be recorded anonymously. Click here to fill out the survey
We have many more things in the works for the summer, so stay tuned and have a good month!
In support and solidarity,
Caroline Cheung, Suzanne Lye, and Serena S. Witzke
Co-Chairs, Women's Classical Caucus
On Behalf of the Steering Committee
AAPI Resources
Curated by Kelly Nguyen, AAACC and Brown University
"Ways to Support the AAPI Community" - Notes from the Apotheke
"America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens" - National Geographic
Hollaback's Bystander Intervention
AAAJ Bystander Intervention Trainings
National Alliance on Mental Illness Resources
Stop AAPI Hate - Reporting Hate