Congratulations to Kavya Subramaniam, the 2023 SWS Undergraduate Social Action Award Winner!
The Undergraduate Social Action Award is given annually to recognize students or a team of students making a substantial contribution to improving the lives of women in society through activism. SWS initiated this award in 2003. The work honored by this award is central to the SWS goal to foster activism for women. SWS recognizes that action “for women” does not mean that the work was done “with women” or even “by women.” Substantial need exists for social action working with working with men, boys, LGBTQ communities and other groups where change will benefit women and can be understood as feminist action. Therefore, SWS recognizes work done in this spirit regardless of applicant gender identity. A special thank you to the SWS 2023 Undergraduate Social Action Subcommittee: Kris De Welde (Co-Chair), Heather Hlavka(Co-Chair), Marley Olson and Melody Huslage. In 2022, we are pleased to announce that Kavya Subramaniam is the 2022 Undergraduate Social Action Awardee. Thank you to Dr. Clare Daniel for nominating Kavya for this prestigious award.
Kavya Subramaniam is a fourth-year student at Tulane University studying Neuroscience and Philosophy. She is currently serving as the Executive Coordinator of Big Easy EC, a local organization dedicated to providing free and confidentially delivered emergency contraception and pregnancy tests to students 24/7. Kavya has been involved in various aspects of reproductive justice work on Tulane’s campus, including serving as a peer advocate through Tulane’s Sexual Aggression and Peer Hotline Education Program (SAPHE) and as an Emergency Medical Technician through Tulane EMS.
As noted in her nomination materials submitted by Dr. Clare Daniel: Upon being elected to her position as executive coordinator, Kavya took the initiative to create a handbook for all volunteers, which explains the procedures and considerations that ensure the safety of volunteers and facilitate access to EC, pregnancy tests, and other sexual and reproductive health resources. Kavya has also worked hard to ensure a consistent supply of EC and other sexual health materials in the midst of a national EC shortage. She manages a team of 33 volunteers and oversees outreach for the organization. In this post-Roe era, in which there is no access to legal abortion in the state of Louisiana, the work of Big Easy EC has become increasingly important, and Kavya has stepped up to the task of leading them with the utmost skill and thought.
Moreover, Kavya maintains a rigorous academic course load and various other extracurricular commitments, including as a member of the Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education and an emergency medical technician for Tulane University and the City of New Orleans. Tulane’s community has benefited immensely as a result of her time here.
We hope you will join us in congratulating Kavya and that you will make plans to join us for the 2023 Winter Meeting Awards Banquet and Reception to be held on Saturday, January 14 starting at 5:15 pm. Please register here for the 2023 Winter Meeting where you will have the opportunity to attend this celebration.
For more information on the SWS Undergraduate Social Action Award, please go to this website: https://socwomen.org/awards/undergraduate-social-action/.