In Fall 2019, under the leadership of Dr. M. Shadee Malaklou, Berea College opened it’s first Women’s and Gender Non-Conforming Center, making it possible for the College to celebrate its long history of gender equity and coeducation beyond sex and gender binaries. In fall 2021, also under the leadership of dr. m. shadee malaklou and with funding from the ANdrew w. mellon foundation, Berea College’s Women’s and Gender Non-Conforming Center transitioned to the bell hooks center, where the work of supporting sex and gender beyond binaries continues. As Dr. Lyle Roelofs, the College’s Ninth President, notes, “There will be no wavering on matters of gender equity by the leadership of the College. …We want our infrastructure and programming to support people outside the binary.” In addition to a monthly speaker series, the center hosts workshops and lectures with student activists, a pride series, and annual symposia. We hope that you will visit us virtually and in person at Berea college to learn more about the intersectional feminist community that we are building.
