UJ Golden Z Club Wins International Award
University of Jamestown’s Golden Z Club recently won a Zonta International Emma L. Conlon Service Award for their 2019 “16 Days of Activism” project about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). They were the only club in the United States selected to receive this award.
The purpose of the UJ Golden Z Club is to: serve the University and the community; provide career guidance; encourage leadership qualities in fellow students; and promote fellowship and better understanding among people of the world. The Golden Z Club is one of three clubs in Jamestown that is part of Zonta International. Zonta Club of Jamestown and the Jamestown High School BlueZ Club are also part of the international organization.
The motto of the Golden Z Club is “Future Leaders Building a Better World Today Through Service and Advocacy”. The Club strives to empower women through education and brings awareness to women’s issues worldwide.
In addition to bringing awareness to women’s issues, every year the Club creates a special project for Zonta International’s “16 Days of Activism”. Golden Z Club Advisor and UJ Nursing Assistant Professor Penny Briese said, “I am so proud of this year’s project bringing awareness to the social justice issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The Golden Z Club members created informational fliers and posted them across campus educating others and opening up a dialogue among the student body about this important issue. It is a great honor for UJ’s Golden Z Club to be recognized by Zonta International.
“The project culminated in a performance by world renowned Native American dancer, flautist, singer, and storyteller, Keith Bear. Partnering with the University of Jamestown’s Convocations Committee, the Club hosted a well-attended event with Mr. Bear at the Reiland Fine Arts Center that was free and open to the public.” During his performance, Mr. Bear presented a Native American quilt to Golden Z Club members on stage in DeNault Auditorium. The quilt is being prepared for long-term display at the University of Jamestown.
Pictured, from left, are Casey LeMier, Fargo, ND; Kim Bandy, Maplewood, MN; Abigail Burkhardt, Annendale, MN; and Katie Roehm (former Advisor), Minot, ND.
