Who is your favorite woman? While that would usually be a weird question to ask someone you first met, it was a fitting question that was asked of all the new members of the recently created Intersectional Feminism Club (IFC) that met for the first time April 22.

Founded on the desire to fill the gap of feminist education and advocacy on campus, the club’s mission is to create a safe community where students of all backgrounds can engage in conversations and activism on issues relating to social justice, gender and intersectionality. 

Karli Calo, a third-year political science major, is a co-president for the IFC. Calo stressed the importance of education, awareness and advocacy work, especially during a time like this.

She recognized how the impact of the new presidential administration, combined with the knowledge that she was approaching her final year, played a crucial role in motivating her to found the IFC.

“In these times, after this administration, I knew we needed to get this club started and we needed to start advocating now, so we can really have a good movement going for our last year,” Calo said. 

At the club’s first meeting, they laid the groundwork by inviting Nova Robinson, an associate professor affiliated with the women, gender and sexuality studies department, to educate the club members on the long history of intersectional feminism. The IFC decided to invite Robinson after attending her future lab on the Future of Feminism at the 2025 Racial Equity Summit.

Robinson explained how intersectional feminism is  part of the new wave of feminism that recognizes the commonalities of women while also acknowledging the differences in experiences given different identities. 

Anushka Singh, a third-year nursing major, decided to attend the first meeting to support her friends who are officers on the board. She hopes to gain more experience and information about the intersectionality of feminism. 

Singh praised Robinson’s lessons, describing how it was an amazing start for the club.

“[Dr. Robinson] gave us a good background, and she was honestly perfect for the first ever meeting of this club because it shows us what we’re trying to do,” Singh said.

Nikky Wamae, a third-year biology major, joined the club alongside Singh for similar reasons. She also emphasized the importance of joining clubs like the IFC, especially for STEM majors, given the lack of gendered discussions, like those fostered by the club, within their classes.

“I think it’s important on a character level to know what other people are going through. I feel like when you’re in a hardcore STEM major, it’s really hard to be a well-rounded individual because you focus so much on hard sciences and growing in that way,” Wamae said. 

Caroline Klewin, a third-year English major, is the other co-president of the IFC. For her, the most important thing right now for the club is inclusivity and community building. Klewin continuously stressed how the IFC is for everyone.

“This club is for feminists. This club is for people who don’t know anything about feminism. It’s for men. It’s for women. It’s for all genders and sexualities. It’s for all people from all backgrounds,” Klewin said.

For the co-presidents, the main goals for the IFC are to become more involved in the local community and to continue the club for the coming years, especially since the majority of the club consists of third-year and fourth-year students.

In the short term, they plan to host a donation drive around campus in the coming weeks to gather feminine products and clothes for local women’s shelters. They will also be participating in the Resident Hall Association’s Spring Carnival.

Next year, they seek to collaborate with multiple clubs and organizations, especially those with a focus on advocacy and social justice. 

Calo and Klewin suggest that any student interested in joining the club reach out, mentioning the potential for leadership positions for passionate students. Calo also recommended that interested students stay updated with the latest information from the IFC by looking at their ConnectSU page and their Instagram, @isfclubsu.

“We’re here to support you. We’re here to educate you. We’re here to have fun. Please join us! All are welcome!” Calo said.