“As soon as you walk in [to school] there’s always someone staring at you. You think ‘oh, it’s because I’m beautiful,’ but then you realize they rarely see Black people and just haven’t seen someone like you,” says Makiata Keita, ‘27. Keita says she feels isolated in a predominantly white school, but the Women of Color club gives her a place to connect with people that understand and share similar experiences. Isa Rangel, ‘25, also loves the feeling of being connected to a community within the school. She says that Women of Color is a place to find growing support amidst low diversity, especially for underclassmen. Meetings can be fun and lighthearted, with icebreakers and snacks to get everyone familiar with each other, while other meetings allow members to have a safe space to open up. Rangel’s favorite part of meetings are the times when speakers are brought in from other parts of the district to talk about opportunities for the future, their personal experiences in high school, and ways to improve the current school environment.

Women of Color works towards building a strong community and safe space, but it also provides women of color with ways to cope with racism and microaggressions. Jazlynn Olson, ‘26, says, “when I’m with people [of color], I feel safe, like I can relax around them and don’t have to put on a facade.” Olson describes her experiences with past friend groups to be “toxic and bad for her mental health” because she felt like she had to quiet herself. She felt like she wasn’t allowed to be herself because her white friend group made her feel out of place, but her current friends of color make her feel much more comfortable. Olson also recounts an experience in which photos were taken of her and her friends, and sent to group chats without their permission. She says, “they would say horrific things […] and the school didn’t do anything.” Olson says “it’s frustrating and sad” because as more people of color come to MHS, there are even more accounts of racism that fly under the radar. Women of Color works to find a balance at their meetings to honor these heavy topics and allow the members to talk about the racism they encounter while keeping the community a kind and welcoming space.

Members are hopeful that Women of Color can keep expanding the supportive community for years to come. Kavya Gardiner, ‘28, says, “it would be really cool if we could go back to the middle school[s] on one of their Women of Color days.” Keita also says it would be good to talk to middle schoolers and get involved with younger students because the middle school Women of Color clubs are small. Showing young women of color that they are respected is important to build their confidence, and it’s easier to instill the message of unity earlier on. Clara Curry, ‘26, the president of Women of Color, says that many people take respect for granted, and she encourages people to be cognizant of the respect they grant to others. She expresses, “when I enter a room, I don’t feel respected. But when I go to Women of Color, it’s an insane experience to have the knowledge that they won’t talk over me and they won’t disrespect me.”