The Multi-Cultural Center will unite women of color together to share stories of success and downfalls unheard of by many before in society.

One story comes from Diana Martinez, senior communications major and programming intern for the Multi-Cultural Center, who said many cultural expectations are anticipated from her such as getting married, taking care of children and knowing how to cook tamales.

But by not following the norms and attending college, her family tells her “(She) is too feminist and too crazy out there,” Martinez said.

The Multi-Cultural Center is hosting an “Open Mic: Women of Color in Higher Education” to unite woman of color and share their stories or struggle and success.

The event will take place between 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on Tuesday March 9 in the Multi-Cultural Center.

“This will not be a lecture or standard workshop. We (the Multi-Cultural Center) want to be able to provide space for women to express themselves,” Martinez said. “We belong to different cultures but still belong in the same world. We need to be open to meeting the people next to us.”

She said she hopes this event will help bring people from all backgrounds together to hear women of color share their struggles because it is important to know there are people who have gone through similar situations.

Martinez’s said she has experienced many struggles as a woman of color but college has pushed her to stay in school and to not fall in to the typical Latina stereotype.

Bauj Chang, programming intern for the Multi-Cultural Center, said her conversation with Martinez about women of color on campus led them to the idea of putting together the Open Mic event.

“From our personal experiences, not too many women of color do not speak about issues they’ve experiences,” Chang said, such as discrimination, racism, sexism and cross-cultural issues.

She shared one situation she faced in class as an Asian American woman at Sac State.

“I was in statistics class working on a group project. Then someone responded and said, “You’re Asian, you should be good at math,'” she said. “This subject was not as easy for me.”

Chang said this was an experience she was involved in when she wanted to speak up for herself but didn’t.

“Part of it had to do with my culture,” she said. “Being a woman of color comes with some cultural expectations. For me, we’re taught at home that we don’t have the authority to speak but at school they (the professors) encourage you to voice your opinion, which can be confusing.”

She said the event is a good idea because women can find support there.

Although this event is emphasizing on women of color, Chang said, men of color do have their own situations they face as well.

“Men can find empowerment in this event because they might find some similar struggles and experiences they have been in,” She said. “They can be an ally for women as well. There are many issues to tackle but we specifically chose women because it was personal to us.”

Monica Barba, senior sociology major and former diversity peer educator for the Multi-Cultural Center, said she supports the Open Mic event because it brings people together to share different experiences.

She said her experience as a person of color was different in the sense that she “passed as a European American” for her light skin and dark hair.

Despite being Latina, she said her characteristics gave her privileges other woman did not experience as a woman of color.

“I can’t claim it (being fully Latina). I haven’t gone through what other people (Latinas) gone through but I want to use my experiences to help people of color so they’re not led in the wrong path,” She said. “People who get discriminated, I try to help them.”

Bauj said that the Open Mic event gives people the opportunity to learn something new about their identity and of others. She said it is also a place where people can network and confront social justice issues.

She said she hopes this is an event that helps prevent negative situations from occurring in the future.

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