Courtesy of Emely Reyes

“Why do you rise?”

The question rings out at the end of every RISE production, the annual show organized by student-group fEMPOWER. The question is the ending to the stories and performances from and about Bowdoin women. The stories center pain, joy, friendships and relationships. This year, RISE was held on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1 in Kresge Auditorium.

Whether it be buying a vibrator for the first time, discussing the frustrations surrounding dating apps or remembering and healing from past abuses, RISE offers a space for Bowdoin women to write about their experiences anonymously and allows other women to read them aloud on stage.

“I’m always, at least on a personal level, striving to make RISE feel as inclusive to people as possible, so that anyone who has a story that they want to share would feel comfortable sharing,” Khuê Anh Tran ’25, a member of RISE’s leadership team, said. “RISE is where women are able to discuss things that are normally not discussed, a place where they can truly express themselves. These discussions are spread outside of the auditorium and into the Bowdoin community, further supporting women to speak out and have their voices be heard.”

The RISE leadership team assigns stories with both the author and the actor in mind. In auditions, cast members disclose what topics they would be comfortable covering and what topics they resonate with. Actors devote themselves to conveying the author’s intention.

“It’s very special to have this group of women coming together for the same purpose and have this form of community,” Tran said.

While RISE has always included spoken stories, this year its production was combined with multimedia aspects, allowing for more Bowdoin women to be a part of the experience and find themselves in the stories told. Between the stories, the VAGUE dance group performed to an original song that was recorded for the production. Additionally, art created by the cast members was displayed in front of Kresge Theater alongside letters to sexual assault survivors.

Mia Lasic-Ellis ’28, another member of the RISE leadership team, hopes that the performance  allowed women to express themselves through the visual arts.

“It can feel a little more freeing than words, because you don’t have to have everything articulated in one particular format. So, I think it just offers more venues for expression,” Lasic-Ellis said.

RISE, which is organized by the student group fEMPOWER, seeks to impact all Bowdoin women, even those who may not choose to perform or submit a story.

“A first-year student could come in and hear a story being read and go, ‘Oh my God, I find this relatable’” Emely Reyes ’25, another RISE leader, said. “I think being able to have that space is what’s really important.”

Reyes emphasized that RISE allows for a variety of stories to be told—none more important than the other.

“When I watched RISE for the first time, I felt that sense of community and womanhood,” Reyes said.

Whether it be through dance, song or art, the RISE team hopes to represent more stories and experiences in the future.

“Something Khuê mentioned when she was giving her pep talk before we went on stage [was], ‘When are you gonna have this space again?’” Lasic-Ellis said. “This stage is yours. Go on, be loud, take your time and take up space.”