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After activist group Our Harvard Can Do Better rebranded as the Harvard Feminist Coalition in October, the group is focusing on a broader range of feminist issues rather than just sexual violence on campus.
As Our Harvard Can Do Better, the group established a reputation on campus by staging a series of high-profile protests against embattled professor John L. Comaroff, including a day-long occupation of University Hall.
“Our Harvard was more of an organizing group that combatted sexual violence, and kind of did protests,” said Eunice S. Chon ’26, one of the organizers of the group. “HFC is trying to build a more longer-lasting, permanent community that empowers women and is inclusive of a broader community. So, we hope to stay and build a presence on our campus.”
Rosie P. Couture ’26, another organizer with HFC, said the group’s new goal is to create a space for discussing feminist topics besides sexual violence, including reproductive freedom.
“I think the Harvard Feminist Coalition is a home for all people who want to support and empower and advocate for women and queer students on campus,” Couture said.
“We are starting to pursue work beyond sexual violence, too, and welcome people who care about other feminist issues on campus to come bring their passions to our space, and we can think together about how we can work on that issue,” she added.
One of the group’s current projects is to learn about other related organizations on campus, such as the Office of Gender Equity’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Resources and Education program, and think about opportunities for collaboration.
Though the group is not officially recognized by the Dean of Students Office — an intentional choice, according to HFC organizers — Chon said she remains hopeful that the group’s initiatives will gain momentum among students.
“Building that presence again, and that momentum, while staying as an independent non-DSO-registered organization will pose a challenge,” Chon said. “But it’s an ambitious goal for us next year, and we really hope that HFC continues after we graduate.”
Peter E. Chon ’26, another of the group’s organizers and Eunice Chon’s brother, added that HFC should also have a role as a record-keeper of feminist progress on campus.
“One thing that I learned in my role as one of the activists trying to push for ethnic studies to become a department, or concentration, at Harvard was just how important documentation is to any activism project,” he said.
“This can inform other movements — inform how to do things better — but also make sure you learn, ‘Oh, this is Harvard's history, this is what has happened, this is what people have risen up to do,’” he added.
—Staff writer Anna Feng can be reached at anna.feng@thecrimson.com.
—Staff writer Nicole L. Guo can be reached at nicole.guo@thecrimson.com.
