'Women of Color Retreat' focuses on community and empowerment

The Women's Center hosted its first "Women of Color Retreat" on Oct. 25-26, offering a weekend of empowerment, connection and self-discovery for young women on campus. The retreat featured speakers, workshops and activities.

Christina Irizarry, director of the Office of Opportunity Programs, explained, "The purpose (of the retreat) is to create a space for our young women of color to come together and fill their cups." Irizarry, a woman of color herself, noted that "being able to create this space was very important to me," emphasizing that the event offered a safe space for students to be vulnerable in a way not always encouraged in their communities.

The retreat began Friday with dinner at the Student Center Café and community-building activities. On Saturday, attendees gathered in the Betty Tipton Room for refreshments and a keynote address from Sistah Anyango, an empowerment coach and CEO of the FLYY Movement. Anyango led students in physical activities, offering them a unique experience designed to build self-esteem. "Everyone changed in some way; the energy we felt at the beginning was not the same as when we left," Anyango said.

One of the options for workshops included "Self-Empowerment," led by author Daisy Plaza. Students had the opportunity to create vision boards and talk about what self-love means to them. Plaza's book, "I Did it for Her," details her experience in an abusive marriage and how she healed from it. Through her story, she inspires young women to learn about self-love, which was a main topic of discussion throughout the retreat.

Another workshop, "Building Her Mental Health Toolbox," focused on self-care strategies, from face masks to building meaningful connections with other women. Students learned tools and techniques to handle stress and other challenges.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Meosha Williams, CEO of Life Works Academy and a Parent Coaching Institute-certified coach for parenting and youth empowerment. "The event was fulfilling, exciting and motivating," Williams said. "It was amazing to see so many young, beautiful women pouring into themselves."

The Women of Color Retreat was held in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Diversity, Intercultural Center, Office of Career Services, Office of Opportunity Programs and the Dean of Students Office.