Speak Your Truth, Sis!: The Lived Experiences of Women of Color
Race, Class, Gender & Sexuality Symposium
Wittenberg University
March 30, 2019
Please join Shades of Pearl on March 30, 2019, for a one-day symposium on the intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality. More specifically, the focus of this symposium is to recognize and celebrate the complex lived experiences of women of color.
In 2014, Shades of Pearl became an officially-recognized student organization at Wittenberg University for young minority women. We are devoted to empowering young women of color on campus, enriching their experiences, and carving healthy spaces of belonging and inclusivity for all of our members, as well as other minorities who experience campus life within the margins. This year, we have decided to center the social, political, and economic narratives of Black and Brown female bodies, as our realities are often silenced, trivialized, or exploited by dominant groups. Our experiences are so vast and might include learning to love ourselves and others in depraved times; affirming our beauty and demanding visibility; creating and maintaining communities of belonging; fighting for citizenship and healthcare rights and against police brutality; “reclaim[ing]” our “time” and silenced voices; or, learning to penetrate the many layers of protective guises that hide our authentic selves. Whatever they are, this symposium seeks to render visible such experiences, as well as many more.