I first met Alex Dunn before the Christmas Break while she was tabling on campus for her club, Lean In. As far as I know, this is a club that is more prominent in Glendon, but she handles the Keele end. The reason that I had stopped at the table was because Alex was tabling with a friend of mine. More than the club’s ideals, it was the personality of the the tablers that drew me in. I finally went to my first Lean In meeting this month and decided that I would really like to not just get to know Alex better, but I would like everyone to get to know her.
ABOUT LEAN IN:
Getting involved with Lean In and becoming President for Keele’s campus:
“The summer before my 3rd year at York I read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and I felt so inspired that I immediately passed it on to my friend Sylvie who also went to York. She read it and loved it too. We decided that we wanted to bring this organization to both campuses at York. This is our second year as Presidents and we still feel just as passionate about the idea as when we started.”
What feminism is:
“I think the word feminism gets a bad rep because people don’t know what it means. To me feminism means equal opportunity and rights for all people regardless of their gender or race (in my opinion you can’t have true feminism without racial equality as well).
It has nothing to do with “man-hating”, as this is the opposite of feminism.
During my first year at York I took the class Male-Female Relationships, and my TA asked the class “who here is a feminist?” and I was the only person to raise my hand. By the end of the class, when feminism was explained, everyone raised their hands.”
The best way to approach any sort of activism:
“I think the best way to approach any sort of activism is with an open mind. You will never get people on your side if you make them feel like you are attacking them or shaming them for their choices or opinions. You get people to be part of your cause by listening and being honest.”
How Lean In differs from other clubs on campus:
“I think Lean In differs from other clubs on campus because of the sense of community that you get from the meetings. Each meeting we discuss a specific topic that requires you to be introspective and share ideas that you may never think or talk about otherwise. When you hear what other people’s challenges are, how they handle them, what situations made them grow as a person, you are automatically invested in and connected to them. By the end of your first meeting everyone feels like they’ve been your friend for ages. It’s an excellent support system.”
BIO:
What are you studying at York? Which year are you in?
“I am in my final year at York and finishing up my degree in Psychology.”
Are you involved in any other clubs?
“Lean in keeps me pretty busy, so I am not involved with any other clubs at the moment. But Lean In loves collaborating with other clubs. “
What is your relationship status?
“I have a feminist boyfriend who has been my partner in all things for the last four years”
What are your hobbies?
“I love baking, reading, anything DIY, and spending time with my girlfriends”
What is your dream job?
“I would love to have my own business one day”
What are a few things on your bucket lists?
“There are so many places that I want to travel, top of the list are California, Northern BC, Ireland, and Greece. I love places with natural beauty”
What is your favourite food? Is there any food that you never get tired of?
“Chocolate and chocolate”
What is your favourite movie?
“I would like to say something impressive here but in reality I love a good rom com”
How do you like to relax?
“Read, spend time with friends, watch Netflix”
What’s your favourite study spot at York?
“Cafeterias or anywhere with people around so it’s not too quiet”
What is your favourite place to eat on campus?
“Thai Express”