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Laguna Blanca’s Global Studies Event Celebrates Women, Empowerment and Leadership

Four notable women presented unique perspectives of women’s issues around the world during Laguna Blanca School’s annual Global Studies event on March 9. (Laguna Blanca School photo)

By Jennifer Zacharias for Laguna Blanca School | March 31, 2015 | 7:15 a.m.

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In March, Laguna Blanca School hosted its annual Global Studies event, this year celebrating Women, Empowerment and Leadership in honor of the International Day of Women.

On Monday, March 9, the school held a free community symposium at the Lobero Theatre, featuring an inspiring performance by World Dance for Humanity, special presentations and a panel discussion.

World Dance for Humanity, who performed “Breaking the Chain,” an inspiring tribute as part of the worldwide protest against domestic violence, kicked off the event.

Following the performance, four notable women presented unique perspectives of women's issues around the world, and here at home. The special speakers included Janet Reineck, Ph.D., who started her World Dance class and community in 2010, offering local women a chance to experience the music and dance of other cultures while helping communities in need; Kum-Kum Bhavnani, Ph.D., a professor of sociology at UCSB where her specialties are Women and International Development, Cultural Studies and Feminist Studies; Michelle Madrid-Branch, author, speaker and global advocate for women and orphans, who has been referred to as a “worldwide voice on adoption”; and Carla Goldstein, J.D., who is the co-founder of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center, and also an attorney with 25 years of experience in public interest advocacy, and issues related to women’s rights, poverty, public health and social justice.

Laguna students Bea Tolan, class of 2016, and Joan Curran, class of 2017, provided beautiful poetry recitations at the symposium. Enjoy Bea's recitation of Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman by clicking here.

Laguna Blanca initiated the Global Studies program to educate its students about the challenges and responsibilities they face as global citizens. The free community event was graciously sponsored by The Mosher Foundation and Laguna Blanca School.

Laguna Blanca School is an Early K-12 co-educational, college preparatory day school. It guides students to greater heights by building upon its 80-year tradition of academic excellence with new and innovative teaching methods and programs. With the thriving experiential learning, LEGO, STEM, and global studies programs, competitive Condor League athletics and state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the school continues to broaden and enrich its students’ educational experience.

Click here for more information.

— Jennifer Zacharias is a publicist representing Laguna Blanca School.

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