The National Conference for Organized Resistance held its annual conference this past weekend.
"NCOR is an AU club that holds annual conferences for activists in the area," said Megan O'Brian, one of the organizers of the NCOR event at AU and first-year graduate student.
The two-day conference involves workshops by various groups that share their struggles and inform people of their causes.
"I'm here with the Below the Belt Project, which informs women about their vaginal, menstrual and sexual health as well as providing information
such as 'zines about sexual health," said Shira Etchalom, who gave a workshop on menstrual health and using cloth pads.
The organization, which started off as the National Conference on Civil Disobedience, is now in its seventh year at AU.
"This year, we are focusing more on local issues in our community and school," O'Brian said. "We always try to include groups with a variety of causes that would interest our students."
"I thought NCOR was a great place for my organization, Advocates for Youth to table at," junior Sonya Mendoza said.
Student Kayley Harrinton agrees.
"We are running a workshop on the importance of sexual education for our youth," said Harrington, a junior and member of the Advocates for Youth.
Many students from across the area came to the conference to learn, and to meet others who share their same beliefs.
"I came to learn more about my civic responsibilities, non-violence, international problems, and to meet other people with my interests," said Andrianne Konstas, a student at James Madison University in Virginia.
Beth Pellettieri, a George Washington University student, believes that NCOR is a great way to target youth and is a conference that gives power to them.
"There is a lot of criss-crossing here in terms of interests," said Akenji Ndumu, a student at the University of Maryland, College Park. "I am here because I have faith in solidarity and I enjoy fighting for causes I believe in."
To find out more about NCOR, visit NCOR's Web site at www.organizedresistance.org.
