Laura Bucio
Assistant Editor

Women from different ethnic groups gathered to take part in a discussion about stereotypes and challenges facing women of color in California.

The discussion, sponsored by the Mosaic Cultural Institute and the “Sistah Circle,” was part of the Engendering Diversity and Community conference held at the University from March 29 to the 31.

“There is so much power in having a space of our own,” said Jennifer Jimenez Marana, assistant dean of students for mentoring and programming at Claremont McKenna College.

Marana along with Cherjanet Lenzy, Scripps Community of Resources and Empowerment coordinator at Scripps College, led the discussion with provocative questions such as, “What comes to mind when you say ‘women of color?’”

“I think of powerless, if that happens to be a white person, then that’s a woman of color to me,” said Monique Chambers, junior biochemistry and athletic training major and “Sistah Circle” vice president.

Roughly ten attendants spoke about the many factors that shape identity and the different ways women identify themselves.

“Not everybody always identifies as a woman of color at all times,” Lenzy said.

The women also had the opportunity to share how they feel about being women of color and spoke of specific stereotypes they suffer.

The participants were then divided into two groups, African-American women and Hispanic women, where both could share characteristics that applied to their specific group.

“I think it is important for us to acknowledge our differences, but it’s even more important for us to acknowledge our similarities,” Chambers said.

The groups shared their different cultures, speaking about music, food and how each group strives for unity, although they do it in different ways.

“It allowed us to see how other cultures identified with women of diversity,” said Krystle Luckey, a senior movement and sports science major and president of “Sistah Circle.”

The discussion ended sharing the different ways to improve the situation for women of color in the United States.

“It is really important to continue to talk about this topic and what we are going to do about it,” Lenzy said.

All the participating women seemed to enjoyed the discussion.

“It was great to see that interest, that excitement, that pride,” Marana said.

Laura Bucio can be reached at lbucio@ulv.edu.