Candid Conversations: Wentworth Women -- Part I

Nicole Price, vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, recently led a discussion with other Wentworth Institute of Technology women in celebration of Women’s History Month.  

All five participants talking with Price identify as cisgender female. Ke'Anna Skipwith additionally identifies as a Black woman, while Julie Wong notes she is a biracial Asian-American. Sandenya Zorokong is Sierra Leonean-American. Yihra Peralta and Ghislaine Ruiz both identify as Latina and Dominican. 

Nicole Price, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 
If we were all out for coffee and not taking part in this type of official discussion, do you think you would have identified the same way? For instance, I think of myself as a Black woman, and then there are other things that go with that like being a wife and a mom. But I don’t actually think about being cisgender, and perhaps that’s a privilege.  

Ke'Anna Skipwith, Assistant Provost for Advances in Learning: 
That's a good point, Nicole. For me, it would depend on who I'm around, where I am or how I'm feeling. I also think that most people today have become a bit more open to understanding how diversity, equity and inclusion impact women. It can influence how we identify ourselves and what we share with others. 

Julie Wong, Associate Director of Learning Designs and Solutions, Learning Information Technology: 
I would say it depends on the context. Am I at work? Am I meeting a stranger on the street? Is this a friend? But if I were to just be asked who I am, I think I would start with “Julie.” 

Yihra Peralta, Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Conduct: 
I think for some of us with names that people can't pronounce, that identity is evident anywhere. I’ve seen people try so hard not to even call on me, not to have to say my name. I feel like the identities that I share are ones I'm constantly wearing. I can’t remove them.  

Ghislaine Ruiz, Student Success Advisor, Center for Academic Excellence: 
I shared those identities given the context of this conversation. But as I walk out in the world, I wouldn’t necessarily put that all out there. It depends on who I’m interacting with and why they need to know. 

Sandenya Zorokong, Admissions Counselor, Graduate Admissions Programs: 
I often judge conversations and sharing my identity with how safe I feel in a space. And my name always sparks follow-up questions. I don’t necessarily always want to share everything about who I am, but sometimes it’s frustrating to be put in a box before you even have a chance to share what your identities are.  

Nicole Price: 
And I would say that the box is probably where many of us live, if you will, when we enter a situation. Unless, on that particular day, we want to step outside the box or want to bother sharing more about why we really are. 

Price asks the group about being a woman in 2021, but further breaks things down by asking the group to also consider if they are a woman of color, or if they have family ties that can be traced and brought to the forefront on a regular basis. 

Julie Wong: 
I think this is a great year to be a woman. [Vice President] Kamala Harris is an icon and, not only just as a woman, but as a biracial Asian woman. As a woman of color, a lot of doors have been opened, from conversations to acceptance, to seeing us as leaders in our fields or as powerful people. Now, there's more permission to be seen and heard. 

Ke'Anna Skipwith:  
I totally agree. With that permission we are now witnessing women owning their voice and claiming spaces in many fields and disciplines. I’m seeing positive examples and role models of women moving forward and leading the charge, who are bold and confident about what we can do and how powerful we are. 

Ghislaine Ruiz: 
I think we’re in the middle of a revolution. Women are finally in a place to be heard, to be seen, to be valued and to be respected. And as women of color, I think that comes with a responsibility, one that can feel heavy, but is much more amplified. There is a responsibility to show up and to make sure we are owning our spaces and our places in the world. It's so important to keep showing up and sharing our voices and to be seen. 

Yihra Peralta: 
I would agree with what everyone has said. I also think that we are still fighting for a lot of the same things we've been fighting for like pay inequality. I think a lot of people want us in spaces to check a box but are not ready for what comes with it. People want diversity, but don't want necessarily your voice all the time. This is the time to be unapologetic, but again, understanding that the inequities are still there and there are people that are not going to want to see you shine. 

Nicole Price:  
It feels like there are more champions and allies of women now, more people who are willing to step up and say this is a good thing.  

Price mentions more women in places where previously only men were invited, including referees in men’s basketball and other sports.  

Nicole Price: 
I don't think I would've ever thought that I would see that. And I'm someone who always thought girls can do anything. So, I will say that being a woman in 2021, being a woman of color, is good. I also think we're finding community better together. And I don’t mean Black women coming together as Black women, but Black women and Latina women and Asian women, all of us coming together and realizing that there is a certain burden. Sometimes you need someone to either help you carry it or just to help you release it if you will. 

In Part II, the group will talk about learning of Women’s history growing up and what that recognition has meant in their lives. 

This multi-part feature is part of a series entitled "Candid Conversations," roundtable discussions hosted by the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Department. Each one focuses on a topic connected to diversity, equity and/or inclusion.