The first Feminist Friday of spring semester will take place at 1 p.m. Friday at the Sloss House.

Tanvi Rastogi, a member of the Ames community, will be discussing public library philosophy and social justice.

Feminist Fridays are weekly conversations that raise awareness for a spectrum of issues from a feminist perspective. Discussion topics vary depending on presenter and their area of expertise. The event is open to students, staff, faculty and community members.

Ruxandra Looft, the director of the Margaret Sloss Center for Women and Gender Equity, describes the event as “an informal, lively conversation.”

“What’s special about Feminist Friday is how personal it is,” Looft said. “This isn’t a lecture, it’s more intimate. Hopefully, the concepts of Feminist Friday add to the ideas taught in the classroom.” 

The Sloss Center recently released their calendar of speakers for the spring semester. The 12 featured speakers cover a wide range of topics including poetry, self-care, availability of contraceptives, agriculture, pro-activism, ecofeminism and toxic masculinity.

“I advise people to come with an open mind, because they just might learn something new in an environment where they have the opportunity share their stories with others,” Looft said.