Women's Week Tree Evolution

Women’s Week: ‘Roots’ Tree Evolution

Harvard CollegeWomen’s Center

March 2024

Edited

by

Nabila Chowdhury‘25

Harvard College Women’s Center Advocacy and Action Intern

Harvard University is located on the traditional and ancestral land of the Massachusett, the original inhabitants of what is now known as Boston and Cambridge. We pay respect to the people of the Massachusett Tribe, past and present, and honor the land itself which remains sacred to the Massachusett People.

Women’s Week 2024 has been made possible through the hard work and dedication of many people.

Meet the Team:

Women’s Week Co-Chairs:

Jana Amin ‘ 25

Nabila Chowdhury ‘ 25

Creative Directors:

Pin + Benson (snobs. ), Graduate School of Design

Women’s Week Communications Team:

Dulce Gonzalez Arias ‘26

Olivia Data ‘ 27

Harvard College Women‘s Center

Bonnie Talbert, Interim Director

Alejandra Rincon, Assistant Director

Sarah McGee, Administrative Coordinator

Harvard College Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Alta Mauro, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Belonging

Bridget Duffy, Assistant Director of Finance and Administration, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

Graduate School of Design Fabrication Lab

Rachel Vroman, Director

Iris Ayala, Fabrication Lab & Staff Assistant

MinYoung Hong, Digital Fabrication Technical Specialist

Burton LeGeyt, Digital Fabrication Technical Specialist

Marco Martins, Digital Fabrication and Safety Specialist

Stephen Spodaryk, Digital Fabrication Technical Specialist

Graduate School of Design Building Services

Trevor O’Brien

Barry Harper

Common Spaces

Julie Crites, Director

Lara E. Adams, Associate Director

Peter Costanza, Events and Operations Coordinator

Yard Ops

Maureen McCarthy

The design depicts the entangled nature of human connectivity as our greatest strength to build and nurture life for growth and revitalization.

Poster designed by Sarah McGee

Harvard College Women’s Center Administrative Coordinator

The design incorporates nine cultures and identities across contexts of age, religion, race, and gender identity. Roots symbolizes the interconnectedness of people from varying walks of lilfe to showcase support, compassion, and celebration.

Poster designed by Sarah McGee

Harvard College Women’s Center Administrative Coordinator

Women’s Week brings together stakeholders in gender equity on campus for a week of programming dedicated to centering the intersectional experiences of women and gender-expansive people on and beyond Harvard's campus.

The theme of this year’s Women’s Week is Rooted/Roots, which is a powerful and symbolic concept that pays homage to resilient women and femmes who have woven the foundations of communities globally while sustaining vital social justice movements. Celebrating the "roots" of our communities means recognizing the contributions of the most unappreciated who have dedicated their lives to sewing seeds of change, building from the ground up, and sustaining multidimensional projects.

Logo designed by Olivia Data, Harvard College Women’s Center Communications Intern

The initial vision of the tree was first drafted as a sketch. It was drawn as a life-size wooden sculpture in the shape of a tree that also incorporated the Women's Center logo.

The shape of the tree was inspired by the Women’s Center Logo capturing energy and momentum while reaching upward. The trunk illustrated literal and metaphorical support as well as how women and gender-expansive people provide a sense of empowerment to systems and communities. The trunk would be constructed from repurposed or upcycled wood, symbolizing the sustainable and eco-friendly practices that are integral to environmental justice.

The leaves of the tree would consist of tassels, representing textiles and the historical role of fabric in signifying liberation and its ties to social and cultural movements. Over time, women and gender-expansive individuals have served as both artisans and cultural ambassadors through the creation of garments. They have played a pivotal role in conveying the essence of various cultures through their clothing and fashion choices, making them bearers of cultural heritage through attire and style.

Cultural organizations across campus would curate art pieces that would hang from the branches of the tree. This was to represent the intersectionality and camaraderie of groups that hang on the work of our ancestors. Groups can create pieces that represent their heritage, photos of ancestors, or other expressions that support the theme of Women’s Week.

While the colors of the tassels represent the varying colors of gender identity flags.

SNOBS’ INITIAL DESIGNS

Drawing inspiration from the initial mock up SNOBS created their own adaptation of the sculpture to bring it to life

The new design duplicated the Women’s Center logo in a circle creating a tree capturing momentum and energy while moving outward. The open trunk of the sculpture would allow the community to move through and become the center of support and empowerment like many women of color and gender expansive people have throughout history.

2nd Design

SNOBS created another rendition of the design to break symmetry and rigidity. The fluid nature of the tree branches represent moving away from objective standards of beauty and societal expectations

Dimensions

the initial design SNOBS curated with the addition of a crown at the top of the sculpture to represent the diversity of headwear and hair across cultures

the white 3D printed forms represent different body types and forms seated atop stumps of recycled wood. The kinetic 3D printed sculpture will also hang from the top of the crown of the tree and move to represent the growth and evolution of living beings.

the leaves of the tree will be adorned with different colors and patterns from a range of cultural contexts. This represents the historical role of fabric in signifying liberation and its ties to social and cultural movements.

Final Rendering

Final Rendering