Women of Color Leadership Conference

The educational system has been a site of racial trauma and inequities for Chicanas/Latinas who have endured racism, sexism, and classism within the curriculum, classroom, and school. Grounded in Chicana feminism and indigeneity, circulos have existed as third spaces within academia for the purpose of cultural empowerment, transformative change, and healing of racial injustices. In this workshop, I will share my own research dissertation to 1) highlight the hidden racialized and gendered traumas of Chicanas/Latinas in higher education, and 2) how circulos play a critical role in building collective power and healing from internalized racism, imposter syndrome, and mental health. We will engage in a circulo praxis to create a collective vision board to dream and reimagine antiracist, feminist and sacred spaces within and outside of academia. 

Learning circles are created and designed by a faculty member to explore a theme for one year. We are involved in exploring the following program: Who is included in the “Asian American” community? This FLC seeks to understand the unique histories and common identities of Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, and Desi (i.e., Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis) American communities. We examine the shifting boundaries of who feels part of the larger group and who gets to be included under the umbrella term of “Asian American” from multiple scholarly and artistic perspectives. We also explore the socio-political, psychological, and historical factors that influence how sociocultural identities are formed and experienced as racialized among first-, second-, and third-generation communities in the U.S. We are currently discussing scholarly and artistic works examining why some universities are calling for a new descriptive term, APIMEDA or  (Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi American) or SWANA (Southwest Asian/Middle Eastern and North African) to better reflect the American experience, especially on college campuses. Through our readings and other varied activities, we focus our explorations on what would be lost and gained for students, faculty, and staff if our campus embraced this new way of thinking about group memberships and ultimately how it can shape our curriculum and campus programming.

"Caring for myself is not self indulgent, it is self preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."
—Audre Lorde

From dealing with aggressions targeting our identities while trying to balance life with academic challenges, relationships and family conflicts, the pull to put on a cape and triumph over the barriers can bring out the Superwoman to complete all our labors; both visible and invisible. Superwoman Schema (SWS) was developed out of Black Feminist Theory and is often focused on Black womxn and only the negative aspects are highlighted (ie a risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, prenatal/pre-birth complications, and premature death.  However, studies also have noted the protective factors, abilities, and possible benefits such as associated high drive to succeed, increased sense of control, feelings of empowerment, and resilience in the face of adversity. How does one connect to the benefits while decreasing the harm? Is SWS the only schema influencing Black womxn and is it only at work? Are Black womxn the only global majority women who experience SWS? In this workshop, Dr. Rice and Ms. Jackson will discuss the SWS, John Henryisms, invisibility, and imposter phenomenon as it impacts Black womxn in university through the lens of intersectionality and labor. This workshop includes identifying ways of strengthening our ability to see ourselves and making the invisible jobs visible. Lastly, this workshop will reflect on the cross-cultural experiences among global majority women as a whole. 

In a time of increasing racial awareness and social change, how can parents of multiracial children define this moment for their families and chart a path forward? This presentation explores findings from a qualitative study on antiracist parenting strategies in multiracial families with Asian heritage, focusing on how parents navigate racial identity development, address racism, and foster a family culture of antiracism. Participants will engage in discussions on healing from intergenerational trauma, learning alongside their children, and building intentional practices to support identity development. As we seek to make sense of our evolving racial landscape, this session offers practical insights and collective strategies to move forward—together.

What are the possibilities (and tensions) of bringing our lived experiences out of the shadows into the curriculum? That is the focus of this workshop – to discuss Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), a critical race asset-based theory, unpack our own cultural assets. I will share: (1)  my personal testimonio about how I learned from my family’s CCW as a child of Mexican immigrants on the journey to the professoriate, and (2) I will share my research with K-12 teachers and community educators who adapted CCW to their work. In this way we will make tangible the array of skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences of Communities of Color. The study speaks to the power of learning that is situated within the lived experiences of immigrant communities and Communities of Color. We will engage participants in ways to modify for their own settings—across TK-12 schools, community contexts, higher education, student life, etc. Through autoethnography, counterstories, pláticas/family stories, and oral history – we counter racism, deficit perspectives, and unearth the Community Cultural Wealth of People of Color.

When looking at the movement for Palestine Liberation, the role of women cannot be understated. A panel of three USF faculty women will speak on their experiences within the Palestine Liberation movement. Using various mediums, such as images, music, and storytelling, they will showcase how Arab women are active advocates for social justice and key participants in the movement for Palestinian liberation. The panel will also highlight the ingenuity of various acts of resistance to injustice that are unique to women. Furthermore, the panel will engage participants through an exercise to highlight women across the world from the United States to Sweden and beyond who have supported the movement.