RM has a new activism club on the rise. Sophomore Liliana Katz-Hollander is opening a chapter of the National Organization for Women’s Campus Action Network (NOW CAN), a club aimed towards promoting feminism and fighting for women’s rights.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. Since their founding in 1966, they have taken a holistic approach to women’s rights by tackling core issues such as reproductive rights, racial and economic justice, constitutional equality, and ending violence against women.

With hundreds of chapters across the country and hundreds of thousands of members, NOW is dedicated to protecting the economic, social, and political rights of all women and girls. 

After reading about NOW in her AP Government textbook, Katz-Hollander was inspired to start her own club chapter. “There was not a group that focused on feminism specifically, although there are a lot of great groups related to social justice,” Katz-Hollander said. “So I wanted to create a space where feminism could really be something we focused on because I know it’s something a lot of students are really passionate about.”

The NOW CAN club anticipates holding a variety of meetings to address topics like the importance of advocacy. “As a community and as a club, we work to find solutions to problems that we noticed in RM and in the surrounding community,” Katz-Hollander said. 

NOW CAN will also hold different types of workshops, aiming to teach members about everything from letter writing to testifying in front of committees. “Those are things that can be really intimidating when you don’t know how to do them,”  Katz-Hollander said.

Katz-Hollander also plans to hold educational meetings to explore the history of feminism and highlight influential female activists, like Malala Yousafzai and Great Thunberg.

To top it all off, Katz-Hollander hopes to have local lawmakers and activists come in to speak to club members. 

Club meetings will be held every other Monday during lunch in room 216.

“This club can be whatever you want it to be,” Katz-Hollander said. “It can just be a place for support to find other people who are passionate about feminism. It can be a place to learn; it can be a place to grow. It can be a place to go on a long rant about how women have been oppressed for centuries.” 

In addition to promoting change, a vital aspect of the NOW CAN club is building a community. “I really want to create just a supportive and friendly environment between everyone because in my experience, activism really creates special bonds between people,” Katz-Hollander said. 

Freshman Babitha Karre will be among the first to join the RM’s NOW CAN club chapter.

“I want to make sure that women receive the equity that we deserve,” Karre said. “It’s just outrageous that even after so much social change and everything, we’re still fighting for equal rights.” 

Currently, Karre is a member of MoCo EmpowHER, a feminist leadership organization focused on building a strong community of middle and high school girls and creating a safe space to discuss topics such as sexism.

“My favorite thing about activism is that we can make a difference. And that gives us a lot of power,” Karre said.