I am a woman of color, among other things.

By: Sandra Carranza

In an article for Center of American Progress, Sophia Kerby said, “Today women of color
comprise 36.3 percent of our nation’s female population and approximately 18 percent of the
entire U.S. population.” The phrase “women of color” originated from a 1977 Women’s Year
Conference, and it was meant to unify all women who were not white and have been historically
oppressed. Since that conference in 1977, some women have argued the phrase has come to
belittle the individuality of races and take away from the diversity of heritage. However,
“women of color” was never meant to create a divide or generalize in a way to take away from
any ethnic group’s identity. The original intent of the phrase is still valid and serves as an
additional part of women’s identity.
Let us not forget that “women of color,” or even “people of color,” is just another label to add to
the list. On top of that, “women of color” is just one overarching label with many sub-labels. Let
me provide an example: Think of the dairy section in your local grocery store. There is milk,
cheese, yogurt and butter, among other products that all belong under the label “dairy.” I
understand that people are not a dairy product, but the manner of forming a list is the same. You
could refer to the LGBTQ+ community. Even though the group is not explicitly stated in that
label, asexual people still fall under it and they are worth no less than any other group in the
community. Think of all the women of color you see on a day-to-day basis: Asian-Americans,
Latinas, Indian, and Black among other races and ethnicities. They all fall under the same label
and definition of “women of color.”
In a column for The Washington Post, Donna Edwards and Gwen McKinney said, “We all
become an amorphous monochrome, our multidimensional heritages and ancestries neutralized.”
However, “women of color” does not negate the individuality of each racial identity, ethnicity, or
cultural group. I know I am a woman of color and Latina. Women with my skin tone have
suffered oppression in American society and in the workforce. An article for the Washington
Center for Equitable Growth said, “Hispanic workers are one of the fastest-growing populations
in the labor force, yet many are still held back by structural disparities and discrimination that
result in low wages and other negative labor market outcomes.” Societal, economic, political and
other forms of oppression categorize me as a woman of color, and I agree. At the same time, I
also recognize that apart from woman of color, I am Mexican. I am Hispanic. I am Latina. My
culture and heritage cannot be taken away by acknowledging with a label that women in my
ethnic group have been historically oppressed.
Likewise, other races and ethnic groups should not feel that “women of color” makes their
culture any less important and unique. If you are Black, embrace that you are Black and a
woman of color. If you are Asian, embrace that you are Asian and a woman of color. If you are
Latina, embrace you are Latina and a woman of color. Both are labels that come to represent you
as a woman in society.