UMKC hosted a seminar on women of color during school last Friday. Social studies teacher David Muhammad took a group of 14 female students to represent East, and the discussion centered around what it means to be a leader as a woman of color.
“[We were] embracing being a woman of color and being a woman in general,” junior Mia Rios said. “Those two things may seem like a setback to people, but really those are advantages.”
The forum included schools from all over the greater Kansas City area. UMKC Assistant Dean of Students for Student Success Tiffany Williams spoke, along with UMKC students and poet Mia Ramsey.
“The general stereotype for being a woman of color is that you may not be as successful as someone who isn’t,” junior Lydia Wickey said. “It’s dealing with stereotypes and how to push them away and conquer stuff to show people the stereotypes aren’t real.”
After the entire group listened to the initial presentation, each person attended two sessions, covering topics ranging from sex education to college opportunities. Overall, the meetings were to guide young women in their decisions following their high school years.
“What I took away was that even if you don’t have a set plan or anything, you can still be successful and can always find stuff that will help you,” Wickey said.