Creating a Feminist Community on a Woman of Color Campus

Abstract

This article examines the importance of centering the experiences of women of color in U.S. women's studies courses and the usefulness of this approach in building feminist solidarity among women of color students. Our observations are based on experiences as faculty members at a racially and ethnically diverse public university in the Los Angeles area. This campus is often described as being one of the most diverse universities in the United States. Thirty-one percent of the students are African American, 30 percent are Latino, 26 percent are white, 12 percent are Asian Pacific Islander, and less than i percent are Native American. In addition, a full 70 percent of the students are women. Drawing from observations in our classrooms and our reflections on the racial and gender politics of this unique university, this article describes our efforts to politicize students on a campus comprised primarily of women of color and the struggle to create a feminist community in that space. Our reflections are offered as a contribution to both old and new debates within feminist