The Pugh Community Board's annual S.H.O.U.T.! weekend is slated to take place this weekend, March 4-6. S.H.O.U.T. stands for "Speaking, Hearing, Opening Up Together," and the weekend will provide a number of opportunities for students to engage in discussions and workshops related to this year's theme: "Spread the Wealth."

"This year's S.H.O.U.T.! weekend will be dedicated to reminding all students that while America's economy may not be booming, we are certainly rich in culture," the events chair, Sonia Mahabir '11, explains.

The weekend kicks off Thursday at noon in Pulver Pavilion, with performances by the Colbyettes and the Colby Eight. There will also be demonstrations in karate and Taiko, a form of drumming. On Thursday evening, there will be a keynote address by renowned political rights activist Angela Davis in Lorimer Chapel at 7 p.m. The title of her lecture is "Activism, Diversity in Higher Education." Angela Davis has been heralded as one of the most important public intellectuals of our time and is has a reputation for being a very dynamic speaker.

Lisa Arellano, Professor of American and Women's Studies, played a major role in getting Davis to Colby. She cites Davis' "social activism, revolutionary thinking and political writings [as indicators of] her lifelong commitment to social change and a better, more equitable future for people across the globe." This is the reason why the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality studies department was so eager to bring her to campus.

"She is the living, breathing embodiment of what we all hope is possible," Arellano says. The S.H.O.U.T.! events continue on Friday with a PostSecret display in the Pugh Center. PostSecret is a community mail art program that was started by Frank Warren in 2005. As part of the project, individuals create homemade postcards that anonymously reveal secrets that they have never shared with anyone before. The postcards are then put on the PostSecret website, where visitors can view them. The project has become wildly popular because it allows people to share their worries and concerns without revealing their identity.

There have been a number of PostSecret stations set up around campus, and students are encouraged to design their own postcard and reveal secrets that they may be harboring. The postcards will then be featured in a display. The PCB hopes that this will provide an opportunity for students to see what others on campus are thinking.

On Friday evening at 9 p.m., there will be a concert in the Mary Low Coffee House featuring Vicci Martinez. Martinez is an acoustic rock artist who is well-known for both her personal, biographical songs and her great stage presence.

There are S.H.O.U.T.! events throughout the day on Saturday, beginning with a number of discussion groups for students. Students are invited to discuss topics such as sexuality, social class, healthcare, gender and identity from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Pugh Center. Students who are interested in these topics will lead the discussions, which promise to be candid rather than planned in advance.

Kira Novak '12 is in charge of organizing the academic workshops, and she says she is looking forward to them because "they are all led by students who are passionate about the subjects, and it's such a great opportunity to really learn about other people's experiences, knowledge and culture."

During the afternoon, students will have the opportunity to engage in a number of interactive workshops across campus. The workshops will also be student-led and will encompass a large range of activities such as Taiko drumming, hip-hop dancing, stepping, Bollywood dancing, yoga, karate, Greek cooking and Henna.

"So many students at Colby know very unique things and we're giving them an opportunity to share it with the workshops," Mahabir says.

The afternoon events conclude on Saturday with an endnote address by beloved education professor Adam Howard, speaking about what it means to "spread the wealth."

The final S.H.O.U.T.! event will be a dance on Saturday night at 10 p.m. in Page Commons. The event is sponsored by Student Programming Board and the theme is "Let it Rain."

There will be a S.H.O.U.T.! weekend table set up in Pulver all week for students who would like more information about the events, or would like to sign up for discussion groups and workshops. The PCB looks forward to active student engagement in the events as the campus focuses on "spreading the wealth" throughout the weekend.