NJCU Student Claims Second Place Prize at Annual Women's and Gender Studies Colloquium
JERSEY CITY, N.J. | Two (NJCU) students made presentations, with one honored for their work with an award, at the 21st Annual Women's and Gender Studies Consortium Student Colloquium held at Rutgers University-New Brunswick on Friday, March 28.
Raquayya Towler, a Women's and Gender Studies minor, and Isaael Sanchez, a Sexuality and Queer Studies minor, represented NJCU at the annual event, accompanied by faculty members Dr. Jennifer Musial, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Chair of the Department of Gender, Africana, and Latin American Studies, and Dr. Franca Roibal Fernández, an adjunct professor in the department.
Sanchez shared his experience co-creating the Hudson County LGBTQ Oral History Project, a digital repository dedicated to preserving the voices and stories of LGBTQ individuals throughout the region. The presentation emphasized that "queer history is all around us" and advocated for living "abrasively queer."
In recognition of his outstanding work, Sanchez was awarded the second-place submission prize, which included a cash award.
Towler presented on "Decolonizing the Humanities: The Final Attempt to Save the World. Her presentation included memorable insights such as "Revolutions are born of steel, not porcelain," which resonated with attendees.
The New Jersey Women’s and Gender Studies Consortium is a state-wide forum for a discussion and tv of all aspects of the functioning of the Women’s and Gender Studies Programs. Each New Jersey College/University is permitted to submit up to three undergraduate papers or projects for presentation at the Colloquium based on academic research/scholarly papers, activism/advocacy (individuals or groups), or creative expression/performance (individuals or groups).
“Dr. Roibal and I are extremely proud of Kyya and Isaael,” said Dr. Musial. “They spoke passionately about the need to study increasingly-erased history. Everyone in attendance was inspired by their brilliance and provocations, leaving many Women and Gender Studies peers clamoring to connect with them after the conference. They are true scholar-leaders; they put NJCU on the New Jersey WGS map. Congratulations to Isaael on their second prize win! This is why Dr. Roibal and I do this work at NJCU."
The Women's and Gender Studies Consortium Student Colloquium provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from across New Jersey to share their research, creative work, and activism in women's, gender, and sexuality studies.
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New Jersey City University is a comprehensive public regional institution committed to providing a high-quality education to a diverse student population. Located in Jersey City, New Jersey, NJCU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and tvive environment for learning, professional development, and community engagement. Recognized as a top university for improving upward economic social tv, students enrolled in our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally tvive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of New Jersey.
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