The campaign to restore The Women’s Center for Gender Justice at John Jay College has gained momentum, with a petition garnering over 644 signatures as of December 2024. 

Cristal Rodriguez, Elizabeth Ninaquisp, and Mary Jones are John Jay students participating in the effort. These students expressed that they aim to collect 1,000 signatures to demonstrate widespread support for reopening a dedicated space for women. 

“I have to tell my sister that a man took away the Women’s Center,” said Rodriguez. 

Beyond the petition, which can be signed here, the students’ campaign includes hosting Sistah Circle events, facilitating direct appeals to administrators, and demanding increased resources to address women-related issues on campus. 

These student-led activism efforts originated from a shared sense of loss following the closure of The Women’s Center at John Jay, which many students say was a resource that provided a vital sense of belonging. 

On October 30, 2024, the first Sistah Circle of the semester convened in the Urban Male Initiative lounge, where students discussed the Center’s closure and called for immediate action. 

Attendees of the first Sistah Circle event also emphasized the importance of creating a permanent, safe space for women on campus to foster the kind of community The Women’s Center once provided. 

Sistah Circle meetings hosted by Jessica Carson, the Student Housing Manager at John Jay, are designed as a safe space for women-identifying students to connect, share challenges,successes, and engage in open dialogue. 

Carson commented on how each Sistah Circle gathering is driven by students’ interests, which she claims ensures that conversations are relevant to their needs.

 “The beauty of these meetings is that they are entirely student-led,” she said. “We want to create a supportive environment where students feel empowered to share and grow,” said Carson. 

Despite the success of these gatherings, many students remain concerned about the future of their community. 

Students advocating against the closure of The Women’s Center, including Rodriguez, Ninaquisp, and Jones, requested a meeting with Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Daniel Matos for an oppurtinity to engage in a transparent conversation about the Center’s closure. 

On December 15, 2024, approximately 20 students and faculty members gathered in the office of the dean of students to meet with Matos. 

The table was surrounded by a diverse group, including Matos, Interim Business Manager Lisa-Marie Williams, Administrative Events Specialist Dominique Mendez-Rose, Jessica Carson, Director of Housing and facilitator of Sistah Circle, Student Council President Yarik Munoz, Vice President Jamella Richmond, and Treasurer In-Deria Burrows. 

The meeting began with a statement from Rodriguez, which established the focus of the discussion on the closure of the Women’s Center and its impact on the campus community. 

The Women’s Center, which was established in 1993, had long served as a vital resource on campus, providing counseling, workshops, and referrals. Its closure—attributed to issues with student engagement—resulted in the relocation of its services to the Wellness Center. 

Many, such as Jones, feel that the new location lacks the same welcoming atmosphere, with fewer opportunities for casual drop-ins and a diminished sense of community. 

“The number of signatures shows how many people you took away from,”said Jones.

Matos acknowledged the emotional toll of the decision. 

“You are right, a man did take it away,” he admitted. “But many of the people involved in the decision were women,” said Matos.

Matos added that the center was founded with three primary purposes in mind: to provide health services, to build intellectual linkages, and to promote social participation. 

While The Women’s Center succeeded in fostering community, Matos said that it lacked in the other two areas, which contributed to its closure. 

“I spoke to many people, and I walked around there myself and didn’t see much engagement,”said Matos. 

Rodriguez responded to Matos’s comment by stating, “Have you ever sat in a Sistah Circle?” 

“No,” Matos replied. 

Many attendees—including Jones—were not convinced by Matos’ explanation. 

“Women need their own space,” she said. “You can’t take away from one to accommodate other group,” said Jones.  

In response to these concerns, Matos announced intentions to repurpose L.69, the old CSIL office, into a multi-mission facility for a variety of student groups, including women, LGBTQ+ students, and international students. Following the discussion, Matos offered a tour of the under-renovation facility, which will offer designated offices for different organizations and a communal kitchen for students.

“We want this space to amplify as many voices as possible. “The administration will work with students to name the space, but in the meantime, our focus is on making it a resource for everyone,” said Matos.

For Jones, however, the name of the space is non-negotiable. As she walked through the space, she reiterated her stance. 

 “The name ‘Women’s Center’ needs to be part of this space,” said Jones.

Ninaquisp, Rodriguez, and Jones have become the faces of the campaign, advocating not only for the center’s reopening but also for expanded services, including mentorship programs, Sistah Circle events, and stronger advocacy for women’s rights on campus. 

These students have also agreed to ensure that the Women’s Center meets the three initial objectives. 

“We’re ready to take charge and show that this space can be everything it was meant to be,” said Rodriguez. 

At the end of the meeting, Munoz communicated to the attendees of the Student Council’s involvement in this transition. 

“Student Council will support you in anything you need,” said Matos. 

Matos also promised to promote The Women’s Center newsletter in the council’s own publications to increase awareness of the facility. 

As the tour concluded, Matos announced that the administration aims to open the new space at the start of the spring 2025 semester. However, questions remain about how the space will meet the diverse needs of its users.

The collective effort to repair the Women’s Center is far from over. With over 600 signatures and counting, students like Rodriguez, Ninaquisp, and Jones are committed to keep the pressure on, ensuring that women at John Jay College have their own area. 

“I’ll be following up with the administration to make sure we’re heard,” said Jones.