WILPF’s University of Arizona campus “twig” met on Oct. 17 at the Little Chapel of All Nations on the university’s campus. Our guest speaker was Lynn Norris, who talked about the cultures behind the various arts and crafts she brought. Everyone enjoyed the stories of the vibrant individuals behind the art, as well as how many of the works represented women’s mini-businesses that provided income for workers and a means to speak out against gender abuses.

Our campus sponsor, Louise Roth, attended with a group of her graduate students and stayed for most of our meeting. Lynn Norris expressed her gratitude that both WILPF and the U.N. are continuing their missions. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the U.N. and the 50th anniversary of UNICEF’s fundraising efforts for the U.N. Our Tucson U.N. Center offers goods from 90 countries. There are only two other U.N. Centers in the US: one in Palo Alto, CA, and another in San Diego, CA.

Some examples of items sold at the Tucson U.N. Center include products from Palestine, brought to Tucson by a U.N. Center volunteer; fruit preserves made from fruit gleaned from local trees by the Ikashitaa Refugee Network; and Tierra Antigua’s textiles from Oaxaca, Mexico. Other notable mentions by Norris included Justea, which supports women’s status in Kenya, and the Guatemalan organization Mayan Hands, which helps women survivors of war gain justice through the sale of their handcrafted pieces. The U.N. Center also sells South African baskets crafted by workers who twisted telephone wires during their off-duty time at work. These baskets have since evolved in skill and sophistication, becoming truly gorgeous pieces.

WILPF Field Organizer Shelby Young remarked that these crafts may serve as the “voice” for women who lack representation in many repressive states—a sentiment Lynn Norris heartily agreed with. In each instance, Norris explained how the items for sale align with the U.N.’s 17 goals, many of which also align with the goals of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Georgia Conray asked how the students had learned about WILPF, which provided helpful insight. We also informed international students about bus routes to the U.N. Center, as they often do not have access to cars.

A helpful tip for fellow WILPF members planning a meeting on a local college campus: scout parking options a few days in advance. This way, unloading can be just a few feet from the venue rather than blocks away in university parking. We recommend asking the host of your meeting about the closest parking options, as some meetings require more time and effort for unloading. Since this meeting promised an international snack buffet, we were happy to have nearby parking for unloading!

We look forward to our next Campus WILPF meeting on Nov. 12 and hope it will attract a significant audience. During the meeting, young Tucson actor and videographer Tristan McCrocklin will share video tips and tricks. Stay tuned for more updates from Tucson Campus WILPF!