As a time dedicated to uplifting and empowering women of color, Hamilton celebrated its first ever “Women of Color Week,” between Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
The week offered opportunities for community members to hear a lecture from civil rights icon Diane Nash, explore the relationship between art and women of color, participate in a discussion on navigating through predominantly white spaces, and celebrate diversity by enjoying ethnic foods, music and films.
“In deciding on events for the week, we definitely tried to pull through the common lived experiences of both of our groups and focus on issues that span across various communities of color,” said Kendall Rallins ‘19, an e-member of BLSU. “Being a woman and also a person of color shape each other, so we wanted to talk about the unique experiences that women of color have, seeing it as an area that needs more exploration and celebration.”
The events were organized by the Womxn’s Center and Black and Latinx Student Union in addition to the Feminist Color Collective, La Vanguardia, Asian Student Association and Voices of Color Lecture series. The organizers hope that the week will include more cultural groups on campus and continue in the years to come.
“We hope this week does spark a trend of focusing more on the people who are normally not the center of the conversation but who contribute so much to it,” said Womxn’s Center E-board member Hannah Fink ’19. “It’s really important to devote time to women of color, who don’t always get the focus or appreciation that they deserve, especially on this predominantly white campus.”
