Cece Nepacena, a third-year business and accounting major, is hoping to light up the campus at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) with her new club, LitMatch. The feminist-centered book club was created to establish a safe, strong, supportive and community-driven campus environment where all voices are welcome.
Nepacena reflected on her own experiences when thinking about starting LitMatch. “Because of my major, I take a lot of business ethics courses, and I started to notice that after class, many of the women would stick around after to talk further about feminism and women’s rights. We would stay after class for multiple hours, sharing how we wished there was a centralized feminist community on campus.”
This desire for a space where feminism can be openly spoken about and connected through ideas led to the creation of LitMatch. The club hopes to encourage more women on campus to use their voices and feel they have a safe space to share their opinions and learn from one another.
“This isn’t meant to feel like another class,” Nepacena joked. “It’s more of a place where we all come together to uplift one another and give our brains a little workout.” The club meets every other Friday at 6 p.m. In the weeks between the meetings, Nepacena sends out short readings for everyone to become familiar with, explore and come ready to discuss at the club. Nepacena is hoping this allows the students to talk freely about subjects that often don’t get the attention they deserve in class and allows everyone to get their thoughts and opinions heard.
She hopes the club will alleviate the stress of finding one’s place on campus, especially for those interested in feminism or seeking support. The club is open to all genders – this is not a women-exclusive club. Nepacena encourages anyone interested in learning more about feminism through literature to stop by with open ears and hearts, even if they aren’t entirely sure they feel comfortable to share on their own yet. The club also has a shared Spotify playlist in the works, open to all to add their favorite artist. They also have their direct messages open on Instagram to anyone who would like a chance to have their work shared on their profile and in the next meeting. This could be personal writing, poetry, or even artwork.
Gaby Weedon, a third-year sociology major and secretary of LitMatch, shared some insights into the club’s upcoming plans, including a few readings from the author Bell Hooks. Weedon is excited to explore discussions around Hooks’ work and how her views have evolved.
“I’m excited to gain an understanding of how other people experience their womanhood and their feminism because it’s not going to be the same for everyone,” Weedon said. “We can all experience this differently but still come together – that is more important than anything else.”
Overall, LitMatch aims to create an uplifting and inspiring safe space for those interested in discussing feminism and sharing their personal experiences.
Future plans include a Blackout Poetry collage hosted by the Makerspace. For more information, follow LitMatch on their Instagram @litmatchcsumb and join the club on MyRaft, to never miss an email about where to meet on Fridays and future pop-up events.