By Hannah Urano
Transcript Correspondent
Sophomore Kyle Simon is hoping to âshow the women of Ohio Wesleyan how much theyâre loved and, at best, encourage more students to get involved in feminist projects at school or in the Delaware communityââall with note cards.
Sophomore Kyle Simon, a member of the Womenâs House (WoHo), said he organized the âNotes of Hopeâ campaign as his house project for the semester.
According to the eventâs Facebook page, âNotes of Hope is a campaign where students are given index cards to anonymously write messages that are inspirational or empowering in nature in regards to women, feminism, or any sort of topic of that nature.â
Simon said he tabled in Hamilton-Williams Campus Center (HWCC) last week, passing out note cards and encouraging students to jot down their messages.
âI had a multitude of students come up and write on more than one note,â he said. âFaculty and staff have written cards too.â
Junior Gus Wood said his general reaction to Notes of Hope is âthe overwhelming sense of pride in (the OWU) community for reaching out and sharing their support for the struggles of women.â
âI think it will add a sense of locality and solidarity,â he said.
âPeople will walk into (HWCC) and see their peersâ words of support and love and know they are not alone.â
During the tabling process, Simon said he decided not to read what people were writing.
âLeaving them completely unread until I display (them) means a lot to me personally as I want the notes to have as large of an impact as possible,â he said.
As a member of WoHo, Simon said he âdoes (his) best to contribute to a lot of queer or feminist activism and events on campus,â and encourages other students to do the same.
Simon said the timing of this project was perfect, as it âthematically contributed to Womenâs Week.â
According to Wood, Simonâs roommate in WoHo, Womenâs Week is âessentially a week devoted to the causes of women.â
âA lot of programming like discussions, documentaries, and of course Take Back the Night happen during the week,â he said.
Like Simon, Wood said he hopes other men on campus take Notes of Hope and Womenâs Week to heart.
âI just want them to consider how much they are given and how much privilege they walk around with,â he said.
âI want them to see the women on campus and in their lives as powerful, independent, and strong people that deserve their respect, and justice,â he said.
âThe programming for Womenâs Week offers a moving look into the struggles and problems that women face, and may move the men in the audience to action. I want them to walk away changed.â