Past Events

“Trans Indigenous/Trans Hemispheric Intimacies” – A Lecture by Guest Editor Basuli Deb

In celebration of Meridians spring 2024 issue “Indigenous Feminisms Across the World,” guest editor Dr. Basuli Deb came to Smith on April 15, 2024 to deliver a talk about her work entitled, “Trans-Indigenous/Trans-Hemispheric Intimacies: Standing Rock Water Protectors & Natal Forest Keepers.”

“Up Home” – A Conversation with Smith President Emerita Ruth J. Simmons

On March 4, 2024, Meridians had the pleasure of hosting Smith President Emerita Ruth J. Simmons for a visit to campus to discuss her new memoir, Up Home: One Girl’s Journey. President Emerita Simmons played a central role in founding Meridians at Smith to showcase the scholarship, ideas, activism, and voices of women of color across the globe. Her acclaimed memoir describes how this daughter of sharecroppers became the first Black president of Smith and subsequently the first Black president of an Ivy League university.

International Women’s Day 2024 Webinar

A webinar conversation hosted in honor of International Women’s Day 2024, co-sponsored by Meridians, the Jandon Center for Community Engagement, and the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center.

Meridians Volume 22 Celebration

Meridians Volume 22 Virtual Celebration featuring contributors from Vol. 22, No. 1 “BIPOC Europe” and Vol. 22, No. 2 “Mosaic.”

Cromwell Day Reading and Workshop with Yalie Saweda Kamara

On Thursday, November 2, 2023, Meridians hosted a special Cromwell Day reading and workshop with visiting poet, Dr. Yalie Saweda Kamara, 2023 Winner of the Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award for Poetry. During this event, Kamara read her award-winning poem, “American Beech,” as well as other selections from her past and forthcoming work. Following the reading, participants were guided through a collective poem writing exercise.

Meridians at Smith College Family Weekend 2023

*Meridians* student Quigley Fellows Assiatou Diallo ’24 and Saturn Johnson ’25 greeting students and parents at the Julia McWilliams Child ’34 Campus Center on Friday, October 13, 2023.

Meridians Open House Celebration – September 2023

On September 14, 2023, we held an Open House Celebration to celebrate our new offices at 22 Green Street. Smith College President Sarah Willie-LeBreton as well as Meridians Editor Emerita and author Paula J. Giddings joined us in celebrating our new space.

President Sarah Willie-LeBreton and *Meridians* Editor Emerita and author Paula J. Giddings

Meridians at First-Year Orientation

Meridians Editorial Office Manager Ally Einbinder ’10, Editorial Assistant Eliana Mercedes, and Quigley Fellowship Intern Saturn Johnson ’25 got the chance to meet many new Smithies at the Resource Fair on Seelye Lawn on September 6, 2023.

**“The Meridians Project: 23 Years of Supporting Feminist Women of Color Knowledge Production” – May 2023**

A virtual conversation, led by Meridans Editor, Ginetta E.B. Candelario ’90, about the importance of showcasing cutting-edge work at the intersection of race, gender, and ethnicity, featuring the 2023 Paula J. Giddings Best Essay Award and Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing winners. Check out there works in the links provided below:

Paula J. Giddings Best Essay Awardees

PLGA Winner Dr. Sandra Ruiz, “A Light for a Light · Minoritarian Aesthetics and the Politics of Grief-Work” Vol 21, No. 2 (2022)
PLGA Honorable Mention Dr. Jennifer “Jae” Williams, “Apologizing to Chavers: #Blackgirlmagic’s Resilience Discourse and the Fear of Melancholy Black Femme Digital Subjectivity” Vol 21, No. 1 (2022)
PLGA Honorable Mention Dr. Asli Zengin, “Caring for the Dead: Corpse Washers, Touch, and Mourning in Contemporary Turkey” Vol 21, No. 2 (2022)

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Awardees

EACWA Poetry Winner, Yalie Kamara, “American Beech, ” Forthcoming in Vol 22, No. 1
EACWA Prose Winner, Cece Roth-Eagle, “Mes del Viento/Month of Wind,” Forthcoming in Vol 23, No. 1

Cece Roth Eagle ’23 “Month of Wind/Mes del viento” Reading – April 2023

*Meridians* Editor Ginetta E.B. Candelario ’90 and Cece Roth-Eagle ’23

Attendees at Cece’s reading in the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center

April 19, Meridians hosted an author reading for graduating senior Cece Roth-Eagle ‘23, Prose Winner of the Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award for Prose.

Cece read segments from her award-winning creative nonfiction essay, “Month of Wind/Mes del viento: The Mapuche lof Kinxikew Through the Perspective of Their First Female Longko,” which will be published in Volume 23, No. 1.

Volume 21 Celebration – December 2022

A virtual celebration featuring a panel of contributors from both Volume 21 issues:

21.1: Black Feminisms in the Caribbean and the United States
21.2: Feminist Mournings
View the event program for a list of participating contributors and their work

20th Anniversary Celebration
April 29, April 30, May 1, 2021

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

View all videos from the 20th Anniversary Celebration on the Meridians Journal YouTube Page

Volume 19 Celebration – November 2020

A virtual celebration featuring a panel of contributors from both Volume 19 issues: