Tending Your Own Garden proved to be a beautiful event that successfully conveyed to young women across the Bucknell campus the importance of prioritizing self-care and wellness. The event welcomed participants from a wide array of cultural backgrounds, fostering an inclusive environment that centered on shared womanhood, experiences and learning.
This empowering gathering was a component of the third annual Black Women’s History Week series. The event was executed as a collaborative effort between two major campus communities: the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) and The Women’s Resource Center. This partnership emphasizes the commitment of both organizations to support the well-being and development of its diverse student body, particularly highlighting the unique needs of Black women and women of color during a dedicated week of historical and cultural celebration.
The “Tending Your Own Garden” theme used Bouquet making to encourage attendees to view self-care not as a luxury, but as an essential practice for emotional, mental, and physical strength. It was also a means of rewarding the young women who joined the event. Through the interactive workshop led by Lyric Abdul-Rasheed of Lyric’s Lip Candy LLC, those in attendance learned how to create their own skincare items. Lyric was fun and energetic in her teaching, proving easy steps to how we too can develop items that nourishes our bodies. The organizer’s goal seemed to surround equipping participants with practical tools and strategies necessary to establish and maintain their own definition of a “Soft Life” (a life characterized by ease, peace, intentionality, and reduced stress). The overwhelmingly positive response from participants confirmed the campus-wide need and desire for more programming focused on personal wellness.
–Najwa Waysome