Anase Ntontan
Wisdom
Boa Me Na Me Mmoa Wo Cooperation
Who We Are
Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) is a national, grassroots service organization dedicated to creating transformational change in the arts sector. We do this by championing racial equity as a basic tenet of eliminating systemic disparities in the field and by providing a platform to help strengthen and amplify the voice and visibility of women of color,* leaders who are disproportionately affected by inequitable structures and practices. By working
to fortify leadership and reinforce a world where everyone holds shared power at the decision-making table, WOCA aims to cultivate a just and inclusive field with the intent of creating equitable systems for all to prosper inside and outside of the arts.
Who We Serve
As a membership-based organization, WOCA specifically champions the work of those leaders helping to propel the arts from behind the scenes. While our work could not happen without centering artists, the work of WOCA is and has historically been catered towards women working in some type of administrative capacity to support artists and the performing arts sector - theater, music, dance, spoken word, etc. – a field which has unique, and often specific processes and practices. As an ever-evolving organization, we also recognize the value of women of color whose work may fall outside of our scope of membership. To that end, we continue to consider and develop new means of engagement for those who wish to actively participate in and support our work. Most importantly, WOCA is committed to fostering an accessible environment of connection and support for all women of color in the arts to thrive.
How WOCA Uses The Term “Women of Color”
WOCA uses the term “women” to encompass all those that self-identify as women or with womanhood including non-binary, transgender, and cisgender women. Our intention is to uplift and address the very specific ways in which this particular group of people, and their multiple identities, are impacted by various forms of oppression, notably sexism and racism. WOCA uses the term “women of color” as an organizing tool, acknowledging the expression is a political designation, not a biological one, and borne out of a solidarity movement originating from the labor of Black women.
What We Do
WOCA engages with our community in various ways through programs, community events, and activations. One of our most lauded and longest-standing programs, WOCA’s Leadership Through Mentorship (LTM) Initiative, holistically addresses the needs of self-identifying women arts leaders of color. This program created for women of color, by women of color was the first of its kind in our sector and continues to have resonating impact for our members and the field.
