APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
About The WOCA Leadership Through Mentorship Program
The Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) Leadership Through Mentorship Program (LTM) is an initiative which holistically addresses the needs of arts administrators and cultural workers of color. By holistic, we mean that we understand that "leadership development" is predicated on personal development; and acknowledging the diverse roles and identities the members of our community have and hold is tantamount to their success as leaders.* It is significant to note that the WOCA Leadership through Mentorship Program is designed for women of color,* by women of color and is the first of its kind in the field - celebrating seven (7) years in 2022. This leadership development program is aimed exclusively at supporting and empowering self-identified women** leaders of color addressing their specific needs as people with intersectional identities, and imparting tools to help navigate institutionalized systems of oppression and mitigate harms often caused by inequitable environments.
*One of WOCA's core philosophies is centered upon the premise that all women are leaders - no matter their station, position, or title.
**WOCA uses the term “women” to encompass all those that self-identify as women including cisgender and transgender femmes. 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 including 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.