On Sept. 9, Sonoma State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Integral Center for Diversity, Vitality, and Creativity ( the HUB) are hosting their annual Womxn of Color Collective for the seventh year in a row. The collective will happen every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m and will be accessible through Zoom.
The Womxn of Color Collective is an opportunity for students, who also identify themselves as a woman of color, to listen and converse with staff and students about their experiences of being a woman of color (WOC).
The STAR reached out to both Shelly Gomez and Isabel Avila Saiter, who are the driving forces behind this event, to give more information about this collective.
“We all come into this space with authenticity and the desire to honor ourselves and each other,” said Race and Ethnicity Program Coordinator, Shelly Gomez.
The Woman of Color Collective plan on providing a space of support. “Participants will be checking in and sharing with the group any challenges they have been experiencing that they need additional support for,” said Gomez.
“These meetings offer an informal, but a meaningful dialogue between students and WOC staff/faculty on campus with the hope of students being inspired by the representation exemplified and encouraged to seek out mentorship and advocacy around campus,” said Staff Psychologist and Training Coordinator, Isabel Avila Saiter.
Though students will be offered a space to discuss their experiences, occasionally they will have a more structured dynamic that involves “self – care exercise, discussion about resources on campus, or focus on a particular topic of interest.”said Avila.
While wanting to empower students who identify as a WOC, the event wants to focus primarily on the sense of community.
Gomez said, “Many students are far from home and maybe away from their communities that share the same identities, especially in a predominantly white institution (PWI). WOC has truly become a space that is sacred and special to me personally as a student, professional staff, mother, and WOC”.
This event brings a strong sense of community to WOC and would provide a safe place for those who feel the urge to share or those who would love to listen to other experiences.
According to the facts page on the Sonoma State University website, the races and ethnicities that are recorded as enrolled students at Sonoma State University in the Fall of 2019 are White (43.8%), Hispanic/Latino (36.8%), and Hispanic (27.6%), Asain (5.2%), African American/Black (2.2%), Unknown (4.9%), American Indian/Alaskan Native (0.3%), or Two or More Rthnicities (.062%). With such a predominantly white university, it’s important that women of color have a safe space to share their experiences.
Avila shares that when she “was an undergraduate, I did not have an affirmative and validating space to discuss and explore my experiences and the ways in which I navigated my intersecting identities” and she is aware of the factors such as “racism, discrimination, oppression, and microaggressions impact the health of WOC.” With that being said, Avila wants to create a space that can provide inspiration, courage, and promise to those who join the collective.
Though joining a group for the first time can be difficult for some, especially those who are just beginning their first year of college, Gomez assures that full participation is not expected among the participants.
“We understand that it takes time to feel comfortable sharing personal feelings with others. You can join in, say hi, and just share space with us until the time feels right for you to share.”
Finding a community where individuals can support, heal, and laugh with one another is an experience one doesn’t want to miss out on. To experience the Womxn of Color Collective contact Shelly Gomez or Isabel Avila for a Zoom link; [email protected] or [email protected].
