Women’s Conference to Focus on Culture

It’s not your mother’s coffee klatch.

Changing roles and global issues have prompted College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita to revamp and expand its annual Women’s Conference into one more tuned to culture than lecture.

This week, the college kicks off its first Women’s International Symposium, a four-day event featuring workshops, performances, exhibits and discussions.

“When we first started our Women’s Conference well over a decade ago, it was relevant and well-attended,” college spokeswoman Sue Bozman said. “Over the years, that conference has become less relevant to contemporary women’s needs and concerns. We wanted to take a more international look at women. We’re doing things we’ve never done before.”

Through art, music, film and literature, the symposium explores women’s place in the global picture as well as at home.

“Past conferences focused on women’s survival skills, such as how to break into the work force,” Bozman said. “A couple of decades ago, most women were home. Now, most are already in the work force. This is a new, different way of presenting the symposium.”

The event begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday with a showing of the film, “All About My Mother,” followed by discussion and refreshments.

An exhibit, “Women Beyond Borders,” opens Thursday and will continue through Saturday. A collaborative effort by more than 600 artists worldwide, the collection next will be on display at UCLA.

“Days of Vengeance,” a one-act play by John C. Gardner, will be performed Saturday by actress Bette Smith. The play deals with the waning independence of a proud 74-year-old woman and the emotional turmoil it creates between her and her adult children.

Other events include workshops, panel discussions and an address by keynote speaker Lisa See, author of “On Gold Mountain.” The nonfiction bestseller, which recounts 100 years of See’s family history, is the inspiration for “On Gold Mountain: A Chinese American Experience,” which is on exhibit at Autry Museum of Western History through December.

A $45 registration fee includes all events during the symposium. Forms are available in the college Administration Building, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia, or by calling the Community Extension office at (661) 259-7800, Ext. 3304.