Women of Color Summits to be Held in NOW Regions

By Erin Hanna, Chapter and Field Organizer
and Zenaida Mendez, Racial Diversity Programs Director

En Español

Activists from all over the nation gathered in Nashville, Tenn., in July for one of the most pivotal NOW conferences in recent years. There were many new faces in the crowd, including a great representation of young activists and women of color, adding fresh and diverse perspectives in plenary sessions, caucuses and workshops.

This event also had the largest contingency of Latinas, the fastest growing population in the United States, in the history of NOW's conferences. The 2005 National NOW Conference highlighted concerns of the Latina community with a workshop in Spanish and screening of the award winning documentary "Señorita Extraviada," which details the continuing violence women face in Juarez, Mexico. One of the plenary sessions featured a keynote address by co-founder of the United Farm Workers Dolores Huerta.

Among the important items that came out of the 2005 NOW Conference is the resolution calling for Regional Women of Color and Allies (WOCA) Summits.  This resolution is a direct result of the successful national WOCA Summit held in Arlington, Va., in April, where more than 400 activists and leaders from across the country gathered to discuss critical issues that affect women of color and to propose a plan of action to further the cause of equality and justice for all women.  In addition, participants in the summit called for continued dialogue on racism and women of color in the women's movement.

In accord with NOW's priority commitment to eradicate racism in all its forms, the Regional Women of Color Summits resolution calls on leaders, activists and supporters in NOW’s nine regions to hold regional Women of Color and Allies Summits during 2006 and 2007. Their purpose will be to develop an agenda to further the cause of equality and to address issues of disparity and inequality, including disproportionate challenges in access to health care, education and career opportunities faced by women of color in their regions, states and local communities.

Michelle Colon — an organizer of the 2005 WOCA Summit, a National Board member and a NOW chapter president from Mississippi — said, "These regional summits are intended to be forums on women of color and their fight for social, political, economic, health and reproductive justice." In organizing and preparing for the upcoming summits, the resolution calls on regional leaders to ensure that leaders from communities of color are at the table to design and implement strategies for outreach and planning.

NOW's leaders and activists, together with women of color attending the summits, are urged to develop a strategic plan of action at the conclusion of each summit that will address the issues affecting women of color in the regions where the summits are held. Promoting greater diversity and inclusion of women of color in NOW will also be explored.