Author: Nina Pine
The second Women of Color Dialogue Circle was held at the Intercultural Community Center Conference Room Wednesday, April 4, welcoming Oxy students to discuss issues pertaining to gender, culture, ethnicity, symbolism, sexuality, body image, class, privilege and power in a confidential space.
The dialogue was coordinated by the Intercultural Community Center Program Coordinator Marty Alemán. The ICC has discovered many female students who identify as women of color and are continuously searching for support groups to have proactive and safe dialogue, she said.
“The Dialogue Circle is one of the ICC’s signature programs, which aims to offer support to students who may not feel they have any other avenue to discuss critical topics which they have come to realize as pertinent to their on-going development and life experience,” Alemán said.
The Women of Color Dialogue was started to provide an open and confidential space where women at Occidental can discuss issues they are having in relation to gender and race. This session was hosted by Alyssa Orrantia from the Office of Admissions.
Each semester five meetings are planned for the dialogue circle. Both faculty and students have consistently attended meetings. The Women of Color Dialogue has created a support system in which women can share their experiences with one another in a positive and constructive environment, Alemán said.
“The Women of Color Dialogue Circle is an extraordinary opportunity for all of its participants to connect and share about numerous diverse issues and challenges that we all face throughout our development in becoming an encouraging leader to our peers and future generations of women to follow,” Nena Malhotra (sophomore) said.
Alemán said the dialogue has been an extremely rewarding experience for her as well. “It’s been such a moving experience to share this time together, bonding through positive feelings of being women of color. We have begun to really grow together, accomplishing the support system that we have strived to create,” Alemán said. “It is indeed a program that has become very near and dear to my heart over the past year that I have served the Oxy Community.”
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