Bay Path to Host Harvard’s Barbara Nobles Crawford on March 8

LONGMEADOW — In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Bay Path University’s On the Move Forum will present Harvard University’s Barbara Nobles Crawford to speak on the United Nations Women’s Day theme “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change.”

This event, happening on Thursday, March 8, will unite people and organizations who are committed to advancing women, inspiring girls, and innovating for change, as well as implementing effective networking and resource sharing for future success. Attendees are invited to have lunch, learn, and lead.

“There will be dialogue, networking, resource sharing, and relationship building,” said event founder Janine Fondon, assistant professor of Undergraduate Communications at Bay Path. “We hope to advance women and girls, and in particular women and girls of color, by connecting the dots and helping women find tangible ways to reach their goals, build new skills, and take advantage of existing resources — all to break barriers and remove obstacles to success.”

The On the Move Forum, now in its third year and brought to fruition through a united effort by a team of community members and Bay Path staff, faculty, and students, explores the timeline of women’s history and the women’s rights movement, sparking a community conversation about gaps in that history, including the contributions of underrepresented groups of women from Western Mass.

The forum will use history, literature, and philosophy to engage the audience in exploring the status of women regarding race, ethnicity, culture, age, sexual orientation, and set pathways for advancement and the progress. Topics to be covered include discovering how the women’s rights movement and the civil rights movement interface; deepening understanding of past and current social, political, and economic issues as they pertain to women; and setting new paths for advancement in the future.

The On the Move Forum will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m at the Blake Center at Bay Path University. This free event is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. For more information and to register for this event, visit onthemoveforum.eventbrite.com.