Women of Color Community
WOCC hosts several events throughout the year including:
- Fall Welcome
- Annual conference
- Reading and discussion group
- Social events (end-of-year social, sisterhood luncheons, etc.)
- Quarterly meetings with MSU administrators and full body membership
- Networking groups (professional development, travel, workout, etc.)
Perceived as a need among many women of color at the University, Michigan State University’s Women of Color Community, or WOCC, was founded in fall 2018 by members of the Institutional Diversity: Excellence in Action, or IDEA, Coordinators.
WOCC aligns its efforts with the DEI Strategic Plan that was launched in fall 2021. The plan states that “Michigan State is dedicated to providing opportunities through education and building the future of Michigan and the nation with the talent and contributions of individuals from all backgrounds and communities.”
The WOCC organization works closely with the Office of the Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer and the Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact for the purposes of being visible, supported and respected for the contributions made by women of color at MSU and to be recognized for their efforts to help the institution achieve its goal of excellence.
As a collective, the WOCC is open to all regardless of protected identity group and works to bring women of color together to discuss issues related to recruitment, retention, advancement and wellness of women of color at MSU. Meetings are formatted to share time and space to learn equitably, support each other collectively and benefit from our shared knowledge and experiences.
WOCC collaborates with other women’s organizations at MSU to create professional development opportunities for constituents and its members join university-wide committees to formulate a broad range of cultural celebratory programs.
Primary funding is from MSU Creating Inclusive Excellence Grants, however, in an effort to build relationships, the WOCC conducts outreach to other on-campus and off-campus sources to support its initiatives.
Upcoming Events
You’re invited to the 2026 Women of Color Community Annual Conference, a day of inspiration, empowerment, and wellness created for the WOCC community. Taking place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the Kellogg Center (Lincoln Room), this year’s conference centers the theme “Blooming in Adversity,” honoring resilience, leadership, and collective growth. The day will feature a keynote address by Dr. Renée Branch Canady, interactive Sister Circles and professional development sessions, and a variety of wellness experiences including chair massages, facials, sound bowl therapy, and journaling. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with campus partners at the MSU Resource Fair, highlighting mental health resources, benefits, and more.
Bio - Dr. Renée Branch Canady - Dr. Canady’s journey, from serving as Health Officer in Ingham County to becoming CEO of the Michigan Public Health Institute, has been marked by her unwavering commitment to equity in the face of systemic challenges. Her keynote with UofM Public Health, “Bring a Folding Chair: Making Room at the Table for Health Equity,” spoke directly to the idea of creating space and thriving despite exclusion or adversity.
In her book Room at the Table, she writes candidly about leading with authenticity, acting courageously in the face of institutional racism, and using “productive outrage” to drive change. These themes mirror the WOCC Conference’s celebration of women who rise, lead, and bloom even when the conditions are not ideal.
Dr. Canady also emphasizes that “being silenced is not acceptable” and that “words matter, but work matters more.” Her call to action encourages women of color to embrace their lived experiences as sources of strength, and to lead boldly in spaces where they’ve historically been marginalized.
WOCC Fall Welcome - September 25, 2025
Sister Luncheon - October 9, 2025
Fall Meeting with Jabbar Bennett (IEI) - October 13, 2025 and March 17, 2026
The Wiz at Wharton - December 11, 2025
The WOCC Annual Conference - February 19, 2026
2024 Outstanding Women of Color Award Winners
Innovative Leader Award
Dr. Swapna Hingwe
Community Impact Award Criteria
Jungmin Kwon
Educational Excellence Award
Genyne Royal
Emerging Leader Award
Kirby R. Gibson
Diversity Champion Award
Saneya Moore
Research & Innovation Award
Kinitra Brooks
Lifetime Achievement Award
Rocio Quispe-Agnoli
Cultural Ambassador Award Criteria
Joy Hannibal
Advocate for Equity Award
Chamara Kwakye
Trailblazer Award Criteria
Guo Chen
How to connect
Subscribe to our listserv to receive updates. To join the WOCC listserv, email mdelrio@msu.edu.
Please note, WOCC acknowledges and aligns with the MSU Land Acknowledgment.
We collectively acknowledge that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. In particular, the university resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. We recognize, support and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigan’s twelve federally-recognized Indian nations, for historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now and for those who were forcibly removed from their homelands. By offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Michigan State University more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples.
We recognize and acknowledge that the very foundation of the United States of America was built on the free and forced labor of Black people of the African diaspora and Black people indigenous to this land. This foundation has generational and exponential effects that continue to negatively impact Black communities today and are uncompensated. The historical and contemporary contributions of the Black diaspora continue to shape American culture and benefit all inhabitants of this land.