Everyday Struggles of Young Women of Color by Ariana Mercado

When I read ME by Sandra Manzanares, I could identify with her until the middle of her story where she falls victim to the roles society has placed on her and others and starts doubting who she really is. Sandra starts her story by saying “My heart, soul, brain, persona, eyes, smile, hair, skin-it’s all me. It’s what makes me.” I could identify with her up to this point because I also value myself and accept who I am and everything else that is part of me. The point in the story where I could no longer identify with Sandra was when she started to doubt herself because of what society led her to believe. She states in her story, “ I admit, sometimes I wonder if it would be better if we were all blue-eyed and blonde”, as I read this it sounded to me as if Hitler were talking because that is how Hitler envisioned the world to be perfect. I was shocked to see Sandra reiterate this very damaging standard of beauty that people of color are constantly measuring themselves against. I find that Sandra is working very hard on trying to understand identity as constructed by society more or less on her own because most adults (teachers, mentors, and parents) don’t want to talk about the effects of racism on us (young people). Perhaps adults believe if they just don’t talk about gender or racism, then it won’t exist in our lives. The truth is, that we see the effects of racism and gender bias everyday on television, on the internet, in the beliefs of teachers, friends, and ourselves. 

I'm Mixed Race by Ashley Jones

Recently, we (WLP members) read a passage on being mixed race by Sandra Manzanares published in a book called My Sisters' Voices. Sandra identifies as Hispanic and Black and talks about the difficulties of being part of different racial identities. 

I am of mixed race too...being Black and Thai, I understand some of the things that she went through. For example, if I do good on a test or in class, then some people will comment, "that's your Asian side." Although I am no longer surprised by such ignorant and uninvited comments, they have caused me to think about how young people perceive race and intelligence. If you were to ask these same people about race, they would tell you we are all equal and anyone can achieve anything they set their mind to, but when you listen to them talk at nutrition and lunch, you hear Blackness being constantly associated with violence, " being ghetto", and lack of intellectual abilities. Blackness is not the media stereotypes that too many youth of color confuse for authenticity. 

Things like this would sometimes get on my nerves, but I don't let it bother me now. I know who I am.

Jamion Allen on Dr. Kamela Heyward-Rotimi

On November 13, 2012 Dr. Kamela Heyward-Rotimi visited Washington Prep High School. She spent lunch with us, the Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) talking about her career, interests, and what its been like as an African-American woman pursuing her doctorate degree.

I enjoyed meeting Dr. Heyward-Rotimi. She is intelligent and sees certain things just as I do.

She talked to us about living in Nigeria. She was very honest about her experiences there. She related to us, that as an African-American she was made to feel out of place by Africans. She talked to us about how some Nigerians don’t believe that American born black communities have culture.

What stood out to me most about our conversation was when I mentioned to her that I want to leave my mark on this world.  She told me that I should set my sights on whatever I want to do because if I believe in myself and have a strategy to achieve my goals, then I will.

I will never forget meeting Dr. Kamela Heyward-Rotimi.  

WLP 2012 Highlights: Our Feminist Future

WLP LAUP/Wells Fargo Foundation scholarship winners
Class of '12

WLP/GSA Washington Prep, Day of Dialogue

2012 was an amazing year for WLP students and alumni.  Our girls made tremendous strides in leadership, public speaking, writing, college matriculation and academic excellence. In an era in which girls of color are routinely demonized in mainstream media and the dominant culture as hypersexual vixens and "baby mamas," WLP students have been leaders for feminist social change in their communities, teaching about and pushing back on gender justice. 

Leadership Outreach and Peer Education

WLP Wash Prep & GHS developed and facilitated Days of Dialogue, HIV/AIDS, reproductive justice, sexual assault awareness, AB540, media literacy and voter awareness presentations

WLP Wash Prep students registered new voters at Wash Prep and Duke Ellington HS

WLP launched Wash Prep's Gay/Straight Alliance

WLP students and alum developed and presented at the HRC’s annual Youth Media Education Conference

WLP alum joined with community partners Black Women for Wellness and FUEL to conduct four college panels at Wash Prep, GHS and Cal State Dominguez Hills

WLP Wash Prep president Jamion Allen spoke before the LAUSD Human Relations Commission on bullying and harassment

WLP presents on the 2012 election,
health & reproductive justice policy

WLP Wash Prep sponsored Chicano student movement activist and change agent Paula Crisostomo for Women's History Month & the Women of Color Speaker Series

  

Karly Jeter, Posse Winner '13

WLP GHS alums (class of '12) Janeth Silva, Brenda Briones, Liz Soria, and Jimena Villa formed a post high school AB-540 group called The Five DREAMers.  

Academic Excellence

WLP GHS member Karly Jeter (class of '13) won a full four year Posse Foundation Scholarship to the College of William & Mary in D.C.

WLP Wash Prep member Victory Yates (class of '13) was a finalist for a Posse Foundation Scholarship to Grinnell College

WLP GHS president Miani Giron (class of '12) won full scholarships from the Posse Foundation and the Horatio Alger Foundation

WLP GHS seniors & alum Lizeth Soria, Janeth Silva, Imani Moses, Brenda Briones, Mayra Burunda, Clay Wesley (class of '10), Miani Giron, Jimena Villa and Ronmely Andrade received community leadership "First in the Family" scholarships from the L.A. Urban Policy Roundtable and the Wells Fargo Foundation

Mayra Borunda (class of '10) made the President's List at CSU Long Beach during her first semester with a GPA of 3.8 and is currently on the Dean's List with a GPA of a 3.67.

Brenda  Briones (class of '12) got a 4.0 during her first college semester

WLP alum Liz Soria with
Diane & Sikivu

WLP Wash Prep, Victory Yates
Posse Finalist, '13

"In my home and in my community I have always understood that a higher education is not as important as having kids and staying home to clean and cook like a “real woman/ wife” does.

I think of Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) as the light in the darkness. As a senior at Gardena, I had no hope or desire to go to college before WLP. I used to think it would be impossible for me to attend college because I’m undocumented."

                                                                       --Liz Soria

“After listening to (deputy city attorney) Heather Aubry talk about the challenges facing African Americans in the legal field I think I can make it through law school too…I felt much more motivated to pursue a legal career. ”
                                                                     --Victory Yates

WLP interns and alums,
Marlene, Imani, Mayra & Clay
Class of 2010 & 2011

“I never really questioned how the media portrays women of color. So, having WLP teach us how to observe and analyze the media helped me understand why young girls feel pressured to have ‘that long hair,’ ‘those blue eyes’—even if they are contacts, and “that nice body.” Aside from learning how to recognize these issues, we also did a lot of work to fight things that like sexual harassment. I know some people may say, ‘oh, just ignore it,’ but it’s not ok to ignore sexual harassment because by staying quiet, you begin to normalize it.”

                                                                                          --Imani Moses, Class of ’11 (CSULB)

Media & Publication

Articles by WLP GHS members Janeth Silva, Brenda Briones and Miani Giron were featured in the Feminist Wire, L.A. Progressive, USC Intersections and KPCC blog

Articles on WLP’s work by Sikivu Hutchinson and Diane Arellano were featured in the Feminist Wire, Racialicious, Arizona State University’s LeadCast blog, the American Humanist Association, Free Inquiry, Black Agenda Report and Alternet

Brenda Briones, author,
"Repro Justice Could
Save Lives..."

"Reproductive justice recognizes that women of color are impacted by a lack of access to reproductive health services and outdated machista views of sex and sexuality in our communities. It is a human right for a woman to choose when and/or if to have children."

Janeth Silva, author,
"Undocumented & Unafraid"

"It is difficult to put into words the feelings that come over me each time I see military recruiters targeting my fellow peers. I’ve learned to recognize that look in their eyes when they know they’ve spotted an insecure senior who doesn’t have top grades and isn’t sure what to do after high school. From my point of view, they look like hungry lions hunting for meat. They lure students with false promises and use our hopes and dreams against us."

Women of Color College Panel

WLP College Panel 2012

Although record numbers of women of color are entering colleges and universities, persistent barriers still exist.  Institutional factors such as massive cuts to K-16 education, limited-to-no access to college preparation courses, nonexistent college mentoring, high student-to-college counselor ratios, and sexual abuse hinder opportunities for youth of color (particular first generation college students) to go to and succeed in college.  On December 10th, Washington Prep High School's WLP will hold its first 2012-2013 Women of Color College Forum. WLP and Washington Prep alumni will discuss their experiences negotiating the college landscape as first generation students challenging stereotypes, low expectations, sexism, and access inequities.

Location: Rm B6, 10:30

Women of Color Speaker Series: Heather Aubry meets Washington Prep

When or IF urban high school youth are encouraged to go to college, they are seldom ever talked to about the politics of what it means to be the first in their family to go to college.  They are seldom counseled on what it’s like to be one of a handful of young people of color to attend a competitive four-year university. Yet, students of color, particularly those from economically disenfranchised communities, are expected to maneuver and thrive in environments that are replete with gender, sexual orientation, and racial politics. This is one reason why they have some of the lowest college graduation rates in the nation.

On October 23, Deputy City Attorney Heather Aubry answered questions about race and representation from an audience of Latina and African-American students at Washington Preparatory High School. The talk was part of the Women’s Leadership Project’s Women of Color Speaker Series.

Twelfth grader and aspiring attorney Victory Yates commented on how she “liked how openly Ms. Aubry talked about the lack of African-Americans in Law School… you think it might be like this but no one talks about it.”

These are issues that mainstream America views as obsolete given that we exist in a so-called “post-racial era” in which an African-American president has been re-elected. Many contend that young people don’t see race. In fact, youth of color like the young women who attended the lecture by Ms. Aubry understand and experience race, class, and gender politics on a visceral level. When the students asked Ms. Aubry what it was like to be a young African-American woman of color attending UC Berkeley and UCLA they were asking for guidance on how to achieve and succeed in environments they have been led to believe they will never belong in. 

Ms. Aubry related that one key to her success was finding mentors of color who helped guide her throughout her career.

After the talk, Ms. Aubry handed out business cards and was invited to upcoming events at Washington Prep.  She listened to the college aspirations of a cluster of young women who immediately encircled her and thanked her for coming. Victory was especially inspired:  “After listening to Ms. Aubry I think I can make it through law school too…I felt much more motivated to pursue a legal career. ”

Women of Color Speaker Series: Dr. Kamela Heyward-Rotimi



Dr. Kamela Heyward-Rotimi



On November 13^th, Kamela Heyward-Rotimi, Ph.D., will discuss her work and journey to becoming a cultural anthropologist with Women's Leadership Project students at Washington Prep HS.  Dr. Heyward-Rotimi holds a B.A. in English from Spellman College and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  A Los Angeles native and graduate of LAUSD schools, Dr. Heyward-Rotimi is engaged in work that bridges academia, advocacy and public scholarship.  A Visiting Professor of Anthropology at Osun State University in Nigeria, her research looks at issues around race, science and technology in North America and Sub Saharan Africa.  She is currently conducting research on the 419 advance fee fraud culture in Nigeria.  Dr. Heyward-Rotimi is a recent winner of the annual book-proposal contest sponsored by the University of California Press and the Center for Public Anthropology. 

Contact info: Sikivu Hutchinson, shutch2396@aol.com.