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Chicago, IL — During the month of March, focusing on the continuance of social issues and discovery, Center on Halsted will host a series of events celebrating Women's History Month through WOW, World of Women. These events include the V-Day, an international movement to end violence against women and girls. Every Wednesday in March, the celebration will be highlighted with a show that will promote cultural and social awareness among women and raise funds to support programming at Center on Halsted.

This year's World of Women performance festival will include shows by a diverse group of talented women from our own city of Chicago. On March 5 from 6 to 7 p.m., Jessica Harlem presents "The Stand Up Vagina Show," featuring some of the best female comediennes in the Midwest, including Dana Austin, Cameron Esposito, Sapna Kumar, Marlene Moore, Tamale and Ashley Thornton. The cost is $20 with a cash bar from 7 to 9 p.m.

With two performances on March 9 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and March 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Teatro Luno presents "Sex O!," a full-length production on the complicated relationship between gender, culture and the very thing our mother's made us promise never to do. The March 12 show includes a pre-reception from 6 to 7 p.m. The cost of both shows is $20 and $10 for students.

WVON radio personality Sharon McGhee presents "The Pocketbook Monologues," on March 19 at 7 p.m. Performed in the style of "The Vagina Monologues," from a black woman's perspective, these recollections explore powerful, personal emotions through an honest, open discussion. From fast girls to sexual responsibility, these women will entertain as well as enlighten. Tickets for this hour-and-a-half show are $30; a pre-reception with a cash bar begins at 6 p.m.

On March 26, Center on Halsted will present V-Day Chicago 2008 and celebrate 10 years of stopping violence against women and girls, from a cultural aesthetic of performance monologues. The Center celebrates its Vagina Warrior Honorees, Lois Bates, transgender coordinator at Howard Brown Health Center and community activist against violence, and Vernita Gray, LGBT Liaison and hate crime specialist at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, who will lead this momentous event.

V-Day, founded by playwright Eve Ensler, promotes creative events to increase awareness and raise funds to revitalize the spirit of existing antiviolence organizations and programs. "The Vagina Monologues," a series of stories collected from interviews conducted by Eve Ensler, has raised more than $20 million for social service agencies nationwide and nearly $500,000 in Chicago through all combined campaigns.

Among the participants this year, both onstage and in behind-the-scenes activities, are several national and local LGBTQ activists, cultural and performance artists, corporate and entrepreneur businesswomen, grassroots organizers and more.

On March 7, from 6 to 8 p.m., "Cycles: A Generational Snapshot of Lesbian Life in Chicago" features works by four prominent lesbian photographers. The cost is $5.

On March 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., "CenterPages: A Reading with Nicole Hollander," an award-winning cartoonist, Hollander will read from her new collection of essays entitled, "Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial." The cost is $10.

On March 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., OUTFront and Center: Music Series presents a collaboration from Lakeside Pride Women's Ensemble and Artemis Singers that will bring an evening of "Notes From Women," conducted by Christy Zurcher. This show features singer-songwriter Jeanne T. Arrigo, and flutist Heather Taylor Earnhart. The cost is $10.

On March 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., OUTFront and Center: Theater Series presents a shared discussion with the Goodman Theatre and Center on Halsted on the lack of representation of women and people of color in LGBTQ theater. Moderated by Willa Taylor, Director of Education & Community Programs for the Goodman Theatre. The cost is $10.

For more information or tickets, visit www.CenteronHalsted.org.