On Wednesday, September 24th, the Woman of Color Collective hosted their first-ever mixer in the Wyckoff Center. The event saw students from a diverse range of class years, backgrounds, and identities attend a relaxing afternoon of coloring and chit-chatting with peers. Adding to the atmosphere were coloring books, paint supplies, and tasty treats, all of which attendees happily enjoyed.

Run out of the Office for Student Diversity and Inclusion (OSDI), the WOC Collective originally began as a ‘Woman of Color space’ in the spring of 2025, with the goal of creating a place for female-identifying students of color and allies to connect and openly discuss their multifaceted experiences.

“I, personally, felt isolated specifically in my classes and while walking through campus,” explained co-head Sophie Vaz ‘26. “I felt looked-through by my peers. I thought I was alone in that, but I slowly found friends who are women of color who shared these similar classroom and social experiences, both negative and positive. Having that small community was super helpful and made me feel more whole.”

Over time, though, members of the collective recognized that providing just a space wasn’t enough to build a true sense of community on campus. This led to the idea of curating specific events for women of color and those who identify with that experience. The goal of events like this mixer is to foster allyship across social identities while centering the various identities, histories, and experiences of women of color and their allies.

“I also took a Black Woman Speaks course with Professor Grady Willis,” Vaz explained when asked about her motivations for joining the collective. “This pushed me to think about intentionally creating spaces like this to help myself, and others, feel seen. This Collective is definitely an intentional space.”

A group of students who attended the WOC Mixer (left to right): Shane Forbes ‘28, Sela Safo ‘28, Jania Thomas ‘28, and Bree Dossou ‘28. Image courtesy of Sruti Ramaswamy ‘26.

During the event, we spoke with a group of students engrossed in conversation and painting, pictured above. “We needed a space to see each other,” Sela Safo ‘28 said as she put the finishing touches on her painting. “These types of spaces make it less intimidating to approach people who look like us.”

“I love how chill it is,” Shane Forbes ‘28 added, occasionally listening to music playing in the background. “It doesn’t feel forced. We can just exist and be around each other.”

When asked if they thought this event was successful, all four enthusiastically agreed. “I would say this has been overly successful,” Bree Dossou ‘28 replied. “The music and energy have been perfect.”

This fall, the Collective aims to cultivate a community of women of color and those who identify with that experience on Skidmore’s campus. For more information on upcoming events, check out their Instagram page and watch for posters around campus.