University at Buffalo Undergrad Society of Feminists is a club at UB that is not only teaching the new wave of all-inclusive feminism, but preaching it to the best extent they can. Last spring SoFem was up and coming which is fairly new, but they will be a club through SA this upcoming September. SoFem is where you will find me on Wednesday nights soaking in all the knowledge and bravery the board members have to offer. President Emily Rieger has often started meetings with a topic of discussion for the night which include: what you didn’t learn in SexEd in high school, intersectionality, check your privilege, opposition, and many more informative issues that open your mind up to the aspects of society that many people feel aren’t talked about enough.
The club is also backed up by some pretty sweet goodies and educational outsiders to inform us from Planned Parenthood. They provide condoms, lubes, info packets, and safe sex kits! Not only are these items free and in great supply, but the condoms are Trojan (talk about brand name am I right??). Sara, a grass roots organizer apart of the generation action committee at Planned Parenthood, comes to meetings often to answer any questions we have as well as help with tabling in the SU.
President Emily shares with us that SoFem’s view is intersectionality. She then describes their motto as “understanding feminism through perspective quality between LGBTA, class, disability, immigrants, and any other marginalized group under oppression.” This means that feminism is about equality and equity across the board which is every human out there.
Goals in sight for the board of SoFem this semester are handling opposition, working with UB’s Black Student Union, attending more rallies, and greater activism in local Buffalo. Also, having more dialog between members that agree and also disagree with the club’s standing to show there is something for everyone to learn. This is a big part of what this club is trying to emit to all the students out there willing enough to have an open mind. There are many activities outside of the club meetings which include monthly planned parenthood volunteering, protests or rally, the march on Washington, and also rallies in NYC and Buffalo. As of now there’s an estimate of 20 solid members returning each week, but as far as I’m concerned the numbers will we growing more and more every meeting.
SoFem is safe space for all groups where education goes beyond the club room and into the lives of those we all share with every single day.
Meetings are 5-6:30PM every other Wednesday in Clemens 103 on North Campus (Email is at the bottom if you want to contact SoFem for further info!)
Emily Rieger: President
Coraima Veliz: Vice President
Brittany Cantor: Secretary
Alyssa Biniewski: Treasurer
Lisa Gargiulo: Social Media Coordinator
Facebook page: UB Undergraduate Society of Feminists
Instagram: ubsofem
Email: undergradsofem@gmail.com