After attending the Duke Student Government meeting two weeks ago, I must say that I am very disappointed.
The Girls' Club was not chartered, primarily because of the objections of the Community Service Center, a group that I thought we had come to an understanding with.
In the meeting, in front of the leaders of the student body, our organization was attacked as being unoriginal, untruthful and unnecessary to both Duke and the Durham communities.
I find this very disheartening, as we have so many undergraduates and professionals that are willing to dedicate their time and efforts to adolescent girls of the community... a community that is more than willing to use these resources. Yet, we still face objections as to the purpose and need for the organization.
I think the formation of the club itself, the embrace of the community centers and its members' commitment to the community should be proof enough that The Girls' Club has something to offer Durham.
Nonetheless, these are apparently not the beliefs of everyone. In fact, it seems like the DSG meeting and the encouragement to seek the charter from the organization was all a set-up, in order to mar The Girls' Club's credibility and ensure that our organization would fail.
However, we are still committed to beginning our program this month, and continuing it into the future. It is just a matter of finding the right avenue here at Duke for pursuing it. If a DSG charter/recognition is absolutely necessary to continue our efforts, then rest assured--we will try again. However, the evidence of all of our current work and effort demonstrates that having this charter is not a make-or-break issue. With support from people and organizations that believe in our efforts, we will sustain a program that is both beneficial and worthwhile for the girls and women of the community.
Venis Wilder
Trinity '06
Co-Program Founder of The Girls' Club
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