SMSU’s annual fine-arts competition ‘Telling Women’s Stories’, hosted by the SMSU Women’s Center and SMSU’s Creative Writing program, welcomed an array of impassioned and unflinching submissions from the student body working to uplift the experiences and lives of women in our world. Drawing from experiences of the past and present, these writers have successfully called forth to the mind what is to be said about the future of women in our societies, whether that be defined as decades or days from where we’re at now. This year, a $200 monetary prize was awarded to Zoe Pudil, who took first place as a prolific and personable writer with her piece ‘Everything is Bloodstained’. Her submission touched on issues regarding, to quote Zoe Pudil, “The challenges of receiving healthcare in a rural area as a woman, someone young, and with a medical condition that wasn’t easily explainable or understood.” Monetary prizes of $50 and $100 were awarded to the third-place winner, AnneMarie Miles, and the second-place winner, Queen-Kevwe Okiemute Ugbo, respectively. Both authors showcased their extensive writing skills and personable connections to the subject of women’s lives and experiences in pieces that remained as informative and thought-provoking as they were immersive and engaging. A complete anthology containing all competition submissions will be available at the end of May 2025 on the SMSU Women’s Center website.

It is the writer’s opinion that these types of events are more necessary now than ever as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, particularly in light of the overturning of Roe vs Wade on June 24, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to delegate the issue of abortion to individual state legislatures, along with its impacts on the physical, mental, and emotional he

alth of everyone involved, puts those in states that criminalize the medical procedure at severe risk, endangering both individuals’ legal records and physical well-being. This situation is significant and harrowing, driven by the long-standing attitudes of a patriarchal society that diminishes women as individuals and sidelines, if not entirely dismisses, numerous calls for support from the administration in power.

‘Telling Women’s Stories’ is intended to foster an atmosphere for creative and bold writing that highlights women’s voices and experiences. By creating a space for individuals of all gender identities to advocate for and alongside women, the competition effectively provides a platform for voices that are often marginalized and belittled in the larger and active conversation about women’s rights and freedoms. For more details regarding the competition or to see how you can get involved, keep an eye out for the annual event flyers or go to the SMSU women’s center webpage at https://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/womenscenter/index.html to learn more.