The University of Guam’s Women and Gender Studies program organized its first-ever Balance for Better Resource Fair on Friday, March 8. The event commemorated International Women’s Day, which has been celebrated for over 100 years and is recognized all over the world.

The fair was open to the public and held at the HSS Atrium.

Women and Gender Studies Center faculty Deanne Jessee-Jones and several Sociology and Women and Gender Studies program interns, organized the Balance for Better Resource Fair to recognize women’s accomplishments and to provide various resources for those seeking help.

“It’s really thanks to the students that we’re able to put on this event,” Jones said. “They did all the leg work from calling agencies to coordinating and figuring out the logistics. I feel blessed that they were willing to put the work into it and were eager to help out with the event.”  

A variety of CLASS booths were set up within the HSS Atrium by clubs such as the Sociology, Psychology, and Political Science club.

Other clubs and organizations, such as Soroptimist Sigma Society, were invited to set up a table as they support empowering women in the business community.

Local community organizations that help women and children such as Salvation Army, Victims Advocate Reaching Out, OASIS, Red Cross, and Island Girl Power set up booths at the fair as students were provided with useful information and volunteer opportunities.

VARO Crisis Services Supervisor and Victim Advocate Charlenne Quintanilla shared that outreach such as participating in the event is the organization’s best way of reaching out to victims.

Quintanilla said: “We were more than happy to help out and at the Balance for Better Resource Fair. We do have Facebook and Instagram but outreach is our most effective system. Some people don’t even know we exist or that our services are offered and that it’s free and confidential.”

As UOG’s first-ever International Women’s Day event, it was held consecutively with the CLASS Annual Research conference. In between presentation breaks, students were able to grab a bite, listen to live music, and learn more about various organizations.

“We were lucky and that it just happened to fall on the same day as the conference and the themes are very similar. It all just fell together. Hopefully it’s something we can continue in the future if everyone enjoys it,” Jones said.  

The event offered free food donated by Outback Steakhouse, and featured live entertainment from Friends With Instruments.