Women’s Empowerment Event Exceeds Leader Expectations

Several women-led groups on campus came together and hosted an Empower Hour yoga event with over 85 participants, exceeding their own expectations. The event featured a 45-minute restorative yoga session followed by an art raffle and table activities.

Junior and leader of Club Yoga, Emma Mellman, invited women across campus to come and practice yoga all together. “I think one of the most beautiful things is when someone really feels empowered and strong physically but also emotionally,” Mellman said. She sees the body as being a big part of empowerment. “We’re all at the state where we’re trying to navigate life, and discover who we are,” she said.

Martina Leake, sophomore and vice president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action (PPGA) club views empowerment a bit differently.

“A key thing is for women to feel confident in their own body and being able to express that in any way she wants to” she said when mentioning a part of Mellman’s yoga practice about reclaiming one’s body that stuck out to her.

For Ella Charlesworth, sophomore and president of PPGA, recognizes the importance of women supporting women. “When you see it in front of your eyes it’s like the most empowering feeling,” she said.

Gabby Harrison, a senior and member of Kappa Delta Sigma helped table during the event. “I think that the empowerment yoga” she said, “was a great way of tangibly putting empowerment into the Winston room because you really got to see these people of all different experiences with yoga just trying their best in every single way.”

When practicing yoga, Mellman sees “a connection between the mind and the body. I just thought it would be really empowering to get a lot of different women together.”

Since women’s groups and organizations don’t often work collectively with each other, “to see people come together for this cohesive idea and unite and act as one community” was one piece Mellman saw in the event.

Current senior, Jen Evans attended and did yoga at the event. “So many other SLU students from varying groups on campus with the same reason and goal came together,” she said.

The second aspect considers the event on a more individual level. Mellman sees movement and yoga as being an important heeling tool. She wants women to feel empowered and have outlets and support to be able to heel.

The event included an art raffle since art is seen as empowering. Charlesworth mentioned that anyone was able to submit their art. “People are so talented” she said, “and that was a cool way to represent empowerment.”

The outcome of the event seemed to encompass all of these ideas, especially for Mellman while leading the yoga session. “I just thought it was so magical especially when I was up on stage and would just look out and everyone was just breathing and moving together.”

Organizers began the event’s initial planning at the beginning of the semester. The overwhelming outcome and support led to discussions about future events. “This is a small stepping stone” said Mellman, “there’s so much that we can do together which is pretty cool to see.”