By Christina Steube

University of Mississippi

The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies at the University of Mississippi will host a series of informal conversations titled “Sarah Talks” throughout March.

The first talk, titled “Women Creating Community through Food: Intersectionality and Entrepreneurship,” is set for 4 p.m. Wednesday in Lamar Hall, Room 320. Joester Brassell of Mama Joe’s Country Cooking, Carla Rego of Lusa Bakery and Cafe, and Dixie Grimes of Dixie Belle Cafe (at the B.T.C. Old Fashioned Grocery in Water Valley) will lead the discussion, which is free and open to the public.

“We wanted to establish a lecture series, like Ted Talks, that highlights UM scholars, local members of the community, Mississippi entrepreneurs, artists and social justice advocates who are doing groundbreaking work in gender and sexuality,” said Jaime Harker, Isom Center director. “Women’s History Month seemed like an ideal time to launch Sarah Talks.”

On March 8, Oxford participants in the Women’s March on Washington will discuss their experience at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center. Panelists for the 6 p.m. session include Cristen Hemmins, Jennifer Mizenko, Merrill Nordstrom, Laura Antonow, Alice Ricks, Ellis Starkey, Valentine Payne and Afton Thomas.

On March 22, UM scholars will discuss a cross-disciplinary program studying student attitudes toward gender and sexuality and how they change over time. Harker will join biology professor Lainy Day, psychology professor Kate Kellum and graduate student Yash Bhambhani for a panel discussion at 4 p.m. in Lamar Hall, Room 320.

“We’re very excited about the new series,” said Theresa Starkey, the center’s associate director. “These talks will be recorded, and our goal is turn these into podcasts as part of an online resource library for people to access from our website.”