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BRISTOL, R.I. – Two campus organizations are helping students thrive at Roger Williams University and beyond by connecting them with �������� women faculty of color who have navigated successful career paths in male-dominated fields. 

On March 26, the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and the Women of Color Club (WOCC) hosted a campus session, Empowering Voices: Women of Color Faculty, which also included representatives from the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Johnson and Wales University, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth who shared their stories. 

“You know our campaign right now is racism ends with me, and I think that starts with representation and recognizing the individual faculty that is here at Roger Williams, but also at our neighboring institutions, and understanding we're better together to combat that issue,” said Chantrell Frazier, �������� Assistant Professor of Forensic Science.

Organizers say their goal was to create a space for meaningful conversations about the diverse experiences of women of color while fostering cross-generational dialogue to build stronger connections between students and faculty.

“When it comes to higher academia, that's a space where women of color have been excluded historically,” said Lillian Johnson, president of the BSA and a sophomore from Providence, R.I. who is double majoring in Political Science and Communications and Media Studies. “Having an event like this on campus where we have women of color faculty here to talk about, not just their identities, but also how their identities have shaped their paths in their academic careers. It's definitely a conversation that I feel is beneficial to a lot of students on campus.”

Aradhana Mehta, the Senior Advisor with International Student and Scholar Services, and Karla-Sue Marriott, a Professor and Director of Forensic Sciences, also represented �������� in addition to Frazier.

Each woman on the panel shared her struggles and successes throughout their academic and professional journeys. Professor Marriott spoke about the support her family in Jamaica gave her and the guidance she received while attending university. But then she discovered sexism and found that her confidence could be perceived as a threat. She told students perseverance is key, saying, “You gotta do what you gotta do” because “haters are gonna hate.” 

Mehta says she did all of her schooling in India, then when she came to the United States, she experienced culture shock. “Everything was different,” she said. “Respect and kindness, those are two things which take us a very long way… When we are respectful and kind with each other, we can leave this world a better place for the coming generations.”

Frazier emphasized that community is critical to success, telling students it is essential to find “those people who are in your corner.” When asked what she hopes students take away from this event, Frazier said: “That we're here to support them in all of their endeavors. Whether it's personal or professional, as faculty of color, we are here for them.”