Leah Schroeder

Sophomores Mira Nalbandian and Anna Newberry prepare to sell stickers during first lunch to support the ALIVE program. Nalbandian was grateful for the opportunity to support a cause that was important to her. “If you see other people supporting something, it makes you feel better by supporting it because nobody likes to be alone when they’re doing something,” Nalbandian said. “If you have a bunch of people who buy stickers and you can see the stickers, you will think this is a cause that matters, and it’s okay to support it.”

Sharing a message of equality, Feminist Club is raising funds to support the Alternatives to Living in a Violent Environment  (ALIVE) organization, a domestic violence shelter for women in the St. Louis area, by selling stickers. 

“The mission and purpose of the ALIVE program are definitely very important because of the extent to which domestic violence is prevalent in St. Louis,” junior and club co-president Ulaa Kuziez said. 

ALIVE helps domestically abused women with financial, medical and housing issues. 

“The cause and women’s issues are really important to me because, in my life as a white woman in the place where we live, I’m in a position of privilege,” senior and club co-president Emma Caplinger said. “A lot of people around us don’t have the same position of privilege, so if I can do anything at all to help other women, I want to do it.”

ALIVE provides women with a support system after they experience the trauma of domestic violence. 

“I’m grateful to be able to stand up for [ALIVE] because in a lot of places people don’t get to do that, and they don’t have that freedom to be able to express what they believe. I think it’s really cool that I have a place where I can do that,” sophomore Mira Nalbandian said. 

The club chose to sell stickers because of their popularity and created three different sticker designs with the hope to appeal to as many people as possible. 

“I’m happy to be able to plan and volunteer selling the stickers so that we can promote this message and be able to contribute to our community and help out,” Kuziez said. 

In addition to raising money for the ALIVE program, Caplinger hopes the fundraiser creates a difference in the community. 

“We’re hoping to make the biggest impact that we can, as close to our community as possible,” Caplinger said. “We’re raising awareness and bringing attention to the fact that there are these issues that need assistance and need funds to help other women out there. Hopefully, we can create a ripple effect in the community.”

The club hopes to promote a mission of equality with the selling of their stickers.  

“These stickers are a reminder to ask yourself, ‘what am I doing today for the equality of the people around me?’ Maybe it’s silly to think that we could do that [with stickers], but they remind you of equality,” Caplinger said.