During the week of Nov. 14, the Office of Diversity Initiatives will host its 11th Annual International Diversity Series. This year the event will highlight women’s reproductive rights in three lectures from Professor Heather Sincavage, Dr. Andreea Maierean and Dr. Troy Lynn Lewis.

The series takes place in the Savitz Lounge, located on the second floor of the Henry Student Center. The lecture on Nov. 14 will be at 4:30 p.m; Nov. 15 will be at 11 a.m; and Nov. 17 will be at 4:30 p.m.

The first talk of the series will feature Heather Sincavage, associate professor of art and director of Sordoni Art Gallery, on Nov. 14. She will address how art has lacked women’s body autonomy throughout history.

As well as showing how female artists started to change their art to fit this narrative. Sincavage will then close her talk by showing artists today who use art as a form of protest and activism for women’s rights.

Sincavage said that her lecture is “showing artists taking matters into their own hands to be the voice of dissent.”

The following day, Nov. 15, Dr. Andreea Maierean, associate professor of political science, will focus on the 23-year period where Romania had bans on contraception.

In the lecture, Maierean will go in-depth about the consequences that came with this decision and how Romania was able to maintain one of the most repressive reproductive policies of the twentieth century.

On Nov. 17, Dr. Troy Lynn Lewis, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, will discuss the maternal mortality rate in the United States and how there is a major difference in race when it comes to maternal mortality.

Erica Acosta expressed how “the overturning of Roe vs Wade would criminalize females if they choose to not go full turn with the pregnancy.”

She continued, stating “It’s important for students to know what laws and implications this is causing female rights over their own bodies.”

As a disclaimer, those who are interested in attending these events should be prepared to engage in conversations and learn about where women’s reproductive rights are at this point in time in history, which may include potentially-triggering topics being covered. There will also refreshments and food like pizza and salads included at each lecture.

“The diversity series is looking to provide our Wilkes community with an in-depth understanding about the consequences of being denied access to healthcare and how this has been handled domestically and internationally,” said Sincavage.