Kicking off with an activity that asked the audience to describe their last seven days with a pair of shoes, Glennda Bivens gave a lecture Wednesday that covered topics on social activism, wellness and self-care.

Bivens began by talking about social activism in Iowa and while it may not seem like Iowa is a socially active state, there have been multiple large protests within the last year pertaining to widely debated topics in today’s political climate.

“Self-care is so extremely important, particularly when you’re doing work in your community,” Bivens said.

Bivens said while it is good to be involved in your community, it is equally necessary to maintain physical, mental and emotional self-care.

Bivens defined self-care with a few quotes from famous authors.

“It is not our differences that divide us,” Bivens said, quoting activist Audre Lorde. “It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.”

Bivens showed an illustration of a venn-diagram defining self-care as comprising love, exercise, nutrition and peace.

Another analogy for self-care was illustrated using a plate, knife, fork, spoon and placemat setup.

“The knife represents what you can cut out of your life, the spoon what comforts you, the fork for what lifts you up, the plate for what grounds you and the placemat for what your foundation rests on,” Bivens said.

Bivens suggested taking small strides to improve self-care. Some ideas she mentioned included meditation, asking questions and limiting social media consumption.

“Pay attention, but try not to get consumed,” Bivens said. “That is a very important concept and one that will need continuous work.”

Through the use of personal experiences, Bivens said maintaining a strong sense of self-awareness is necessary when making your voice heard.

“Your activism, as you continue to grow and develop, might shift or morph into something new,” Bivens said.

The theme of the lecture encouraged positive self-care and meaningful activism in the community.

“What do I have to do to get to where I want to be?” Bivens said. “What distractions can you eliminate from your life to help you get there?”

The lecture concluded with a question and answer forum that allowed audience members to connect with Bivens and gain insight into her life.

“I learned most of what I know from falling on my face,” Bivens said. “Sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know, and it can also be who knows what you know that will allow you to get your foot in the door.”