The Ohio University Women’s Center will welcome one of OU’s own at a special Brown Bag Lunch with Miss Black Ohio, Kayla Hardimon.
The center’s hour-long Brown Bag Lunch discussion series is a weekly event Thursdays at noon that encourages an open forum on topics related to gender issues.
Hardimon will discuss her pageant’s platform, “A Woman’s Worth,” during a special Brown Bag Lunch Friday at noon. She said she hopes to help young women understand their beauty and, with that, their value, potential and worth.
“I see this problem, and I think that a lot of young women need role models,” she said. “I really want to help young people understand their potential and that they have the ability to change our world.”
Since she was crowned Miss Black Ohio last October, Hardimon has met with Girl Scouts across Ohio, sometimes hosting specific workshops about topics such as self-esteem. She has also given speeches throughout the state and developed relationships with the Boys & Girls Club in Cincinnati.
Hardimon said she considers it her job as a representative of Ohio women to facilitate conversation where she deems it lacking.
The Brown Bag Lunch will give Hardimon a chance to share her platform and discuss not only how college-aged women feel about themselves, but the fact that they have a responsibility to help younger women understand their personal beauty and worth.
“I think that Ohio University does a pretty commendable job at least making it known that women’s issues are something that are supported,” Hardimon said. She cited the Women’s Center as an example of that.
Elizabeth Chinn, graduate assistant for the Women’s Center, said she believes the Brown Bag Lunch program fulfills the Women’s Center’s mission to provide information and advocacy related to gender issues.
Chinn said she feels that Hardimon’s story is a great example of leadership and how to attain personal goals.
“Miss Black Ohio has a great life story, obviously a lot of dreams, and she’s an Ohioan,” she said. “It’s really important that we see other women’s pathways.”
Topics for the following weeks’ Brown Bag lunches will include safer births and healthier babies, victimization risk in the college drinking atmosphere and gender-specific needs.
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