Yesterday, we had the Mulieris Formation Seminar. Finally! It was supposed to take place during the summer but there were so many conflicts in schedule so we moved it again and again. This time, everyone in the core was available and we finally did it.

I really don't know what to say. It was quite amazing! I am so overwhelmed. We really did it. And I mean we really really did it.

The core consists of Joyce, the founder and president, a pretty morena taking up Development Studies and six vice-presidents for the different departments. We restructured and found this set-up most efficient. Swak na swak talaga! Sobrang bagay bawat isa sa na-assign na department sa kanya. Pat from Political Science and ADS is heading Advocacy. Miam from Management is Finance. Jewel has really good marketing skills so she's our Public Relations officer. Andy Lacuesta from Psych is really smart and she's a micromanager so we placed her in Operations to take care of Secretariat and Logistics. And finally, since I was originally Internal Vice-President as I have experience in organizational development and I'm a people person, I am the VP for Human Resources. I really think it's a great line-up. We're all empowered women with different backgrounds and our own field of expertise. Now, we're just finalizing the Outreach Department and we're looking for people to join the publication which is headed by fantastic writer, my good friend Jamie Santos.

We discussed projects and set a calendar. I'm so excited!!! Our first project slash promo is Fete de la Femme or Women's Film Festival. We'll hold it for two days and we'll be showing films with women themes, famous women characters, and things like that. You can watch Mona Lisa Smile, Mulan, Mila, Elizabeth, Bend it like Beckham, etc. We got one film from each genre. We'll be holding applications then.

We have seminars lined up. I won't divulge the details so you'll have to wait. I'll just tease you a little. The first one is titled "High heels and Miniskirts: Fashion. Perception. Politics." Just from there, you can judge what it'll be like. I have so many plans. It's such a wonderful concept to develop.

We'll also have a magazine, pink and black taking after Mulieris' colors. It's going to be a cross of a stylish pop women's magazine and a very educational journal.

Those of you who want to join Mulieris, I strongly encourage you to do so. Both male and female are welcome. You don't really have to be a feminist, although it's good if you are provided that you're a good type of feminist. (Yes, there are variations of feminism.) You just need an appreciation for the femalekind and a desire to promote gender equality. We're just starting and we'll need all the help we can get.

For one moment during the FormSem, I had this unexplainable feeling. It was a mixture of excitement, nervousness, awe, nobility, etc. Watching the other girls in an animated discussion, I saw Mulieris and its vision finally happening. We could really make a difference! I'm so glad to be a part of this. It really felt like home, like it is where I am supposed to be sort of like a calling.

And we'll be having lots of fun of course. You can't put girls together and not have fun. It's impossible and unacceptable. The FormSem, our first activity that was supposed to break the ice, was loads of fun. It was like there wasn't any ice to break or maybe it melted really fast that we didn't notice. The core is so funny together. There's a strong chemistry. Women of the world, unite! So Communist Manifesto. Hehe... Feminist Manifesto, maybe? Hmmm... We probably looked like Sex and the City in Senate. And we talked a lot! As in A LOT! The discussions ranged from really serious issues down to the most mundane things. We even had an entire good pizza-bad pizza debate when we called for delivery. Haha!

I'm alloting some space for promotion although this blog is a diary entry slash promo already. Here goes...

Mulieris (Latin word for WOMAN, the only term for woman that is non-derivative from man or male). It's all about women and change. Do join. Do help.

Mulieris. Her life. Her story. Our mission. Make it your own.