YWCA Central Maine to sponsor ‘The Janes’ event series starting Oct. 30

YWCA Central Maine plans to sponsor a three-part event series of “The Janes” documentary screening and panel discussion on Oct. 30, Nov. 1 and 2, in collaboration with Bates College in Lewiston, Colby College in Waterville, and University of Southern Maine in Portland.

Each event will include a screening of the Emmy-nominated documentary film “The Janes” and a panel discussion featuring Heather Booth, founder of the underground abortion provider known as the “Service” or “Jane”; the Rev. Dr. Patricia Novick, an original Jane and social and racial justice advocate; and Maine-based activists and community providers.

The panelists will discuss the action organized by the Jane Collective to provide safe abortion care in the 1960s, as well as broader conversations on human rights, democracy and civic engagement, and social justice efforts in Maine. There will be an opportunity to engage with local nonprofit community services providers to obtain information and resources about programs and local efforts prior to the event start, according to a news release from Jennifer Molloy at the YWCA.

The Monday, Oct. 30, event will take place from 5-8 p.m. in Talbot Hall in the Luther Bonney Hall Building at 85 Bedford St. on USM’s Portland campus in collaboration with USM’s Women and Gender Studies Program.

The Wednesday, Nov. 1, event will take place at Colby College from 7-9:30 p.m. in Ostrove Auditorium, 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive, in collaboration with the college’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department.

The Thursday, Nov. 2, event will take place at Bates College at 6:30 p.m. in Olin Arts Center Concert Hall at 75 Russell St., in partnership with Bates College.

The events are free because of sponsorship from Twin City Financial Group, the respective university hosts, and individual community donors.

The event series is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required for each event, since capacity is limited. Information for all events is available at ywcamaine.org.