The aim of the Women and Gender Studies Symposium at Illinois State is to address various topics and intersections of women, gender, and sexuality. In addition to these topics presented by undergraduate and graduate presenters, the Symposium will feature Qwo-Li Driskill as this year’s keynote speaker. Dr. Driskill will be discussing their background as a Cherokee Two-Spirit, in the context of the past, present, and future development of human experience.

The concept of Cherokee history is represented in our poster through the illustrated pattern. The pattern was inspired from a double weave storage basket from Eva Wolfe, an accomplished Cherokee basket weaver known for her rivercane baskets. The brown coloring connects back to the natural materials used in basket weaving. The gold color represents the hope that sits within the Cherokee people that their traditions will carry on into the future. The teal seen in the poster represents renewal and responsibility. These color representations are sourced from green and blue, where green equates renewal and blue embodies responsibility. It is important to the Cherokee people to continue the teachings and traditions of their ancestors, and it is their responsibility to pass them onto the generations to come.

The text used in the poster, is Gotham, a modern sans-serif typeface. Gotham is then intertwined within the pattern to represent the connection of past, present, and future. Our poster embodies the importance of accepting all traditions and beliefs.