Women Take Action at Irvington Theater October 18

Published 5 years ago5y ago • Bookmarks: 112

October 10, 2019

by James Miranda –

The Irvington Theater (IT) Commission will host its first 2019-20 Diversity Series event on Friday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The event, “Women Take Action: An Evening About Women Activists, Advocates and Women’s Causes,” will feature a panel of women activists discussing their work, and will address women’s issues in today’s world including gun violence, drunk driving, and sexual assault.

Support our Sponsors

“I had volunteered at the first two Women’s Marches; and just in seeing things that are happening in the world, women are at the forefront of so much of activism right now,” IT Commissioner Kim Gilligan said. “I really wanted to give [women activists] the opportunity to talk about what it means to be a woman activist. I wanted to make sure we had a panel that could speak to different issues.”

The panel includes WESPAC Executive Director Nada Khader; Ariana Quiñones, a leadership programming advocate for young women of color; NY Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Director of Leadership Development and Intercultural Competency Rev. Doris Dalton; Erin Fuller Brian, a Las Vegas shooting survivor and Westchester Brady United Against Gun Violence Co-President; MADD’s NY Vice Chair for Fundraising Erica Linn; and George Washington University Sophomore Kelly Marx.

A slideshow showcasing art activists’ works specific to the event and its many themes will be on display as well. It will feature works by well-known artists like Amy Pence Brown, Lucy Brown, Paige Tighe, Sarah Stengle, and Westchester artists Diana Schmertz, who teaches art in Irvington schools, and April Castoldi.

April Castoldi (Speech-Language Pathologist, Artist, and Activist)

The visual artists’ works will welcome attendees, while others’ works will be displayed during the panel.

“Being asked to participate in the ‘Women Take Action’ program/show is another chance to forward the conversation about how women are treated in our society, and what is possible for the future,” said Castoldi, whose work will depict a real and fantastical assault. “I am taking risks I don’t normally take in this piece. But given my comic book-style of expression, I think it leaves the viewer laughing at my imagined response.”

This is the second year for the Diversity Series, which was designed as an avenue for voices and communities not at the forefront of society, and is coming off a successful 2018-19 season. Events this season will address homelessness (in November) and a LBGTQ spoken-word program (in February, 2020).Women Take Action is a free event; attendees must register; visit: www.irvingtontheater.com.