In her poem "A Room Full of Sisters" from her book The Color of Culture, Seattle-based poet Mona Lake Jones writes:
A room full of sisters like jewels in a crown
Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Dark Chocolate Brown
Now picture yourself in the midst of this glory
As I describe the sisters who are part of this story
Women of Color in the Arts is that room described by Lake Jones’ poem.
Until recently, say within the past ten years, working as a woman of color in the arts was a lonely position. According to data collected for a comprehensive art museum staff demographic survey released in 2019, only 28% of art museum employees in 2018 were people of color. Whites made up the remaining 72%.
Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) is dedicated to creating racial and cultural equity in the performing arts field, by promoting professional opportunities for arts administrators and providing a platform to give voice and visibility to women of color. Started as an informal network of women working in the performing arts field, the organization has now grown to include an affiliate network of over 400 with members from all across the United States, Brazil, Korea, and Ghana.
If you are an arts administrator looking to link up with other women of color in the field, WOCA is the place! Check out the program and membership information here.
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