Women of Color Resource Center

Founded in Oakland, California in 1990 by several of those who had been active in the Alliance Against Women's Oppression (disbanded in 1989), the WCRC seeks to educate and empower women and girls of color, helping them to become effective leaders while at the same time advocating for public policies that help, rather than hurt, women of color. In particular, the WCRC seeks to bring the concerns of women of color to the forefront of all social justice and women's rights movements. Innovative programing has been key to sustaining their mission and making the WCRC appealing to women of color across generational lines and despite racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual orientation differences. For example, beginning in 2005, the "Runway Peace Project" (RPP) sought to raise awareness of the impact of militarism on American popular culture. A multi-media toolkit, aimed at school and community groups, the RPP includes a documentary, "Fashion Resistance to Militarism," a step-by-step CD guide on how to organize your own RPP fashion show, and fact sheets on gender and militarism. Yet another popular, and successful, project is TEMPO (Technological Empowerment and Media Project of Oakland) which provides training for low-income women of color in radio production, producing radio documentaries on the issues that directly have an impact on their lives and thus literally giving women of color a voice. Since its participation in the Beijing 1995 conference, the WCRC has also sought to build transnational relationships with sister organizations around the world.

From the guide to the Women of Color Resource Center Records MS 718., 1984-2011, (Sophia Smith Collection)