Thousands of Women of Color from near and far will celebrate, empower, and uplift each other at the 14th annual Women of Color Expo in Oklahoma City. The Women of Color Expo is one of Oklahoma’s largest and prominent events of its kind.
Why does the Women of Color Expo exist? Women of Color often face unique challenges and experiences based on their race and gender. They are confronted with discrimination and prejudice, both overt and subtle, that can affect their opportunities in education, employment, and other areas of life. They also may encounter intersectional discrimination, where their experiences of discrimination are compounded by other factors such as sexuality, ability, or socio-economic status. At the same time, being a Woman of Color comes with a tremendous source of pride. The balance between tenacity and benevolence is an unfathomable tightrope that women walk without complaint and often without recognition.
Many Women of Color have rich cultural heritages and communities that they draw strength from, having worked to create spaces and movements that edify, affirm, and inspire Women of Color around the world. By hosting this annual event, Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company aim to epitomize the essence of what it truly means to be a Woman of Color.
The Women of Color Expo continues to provide attendees with access to vendors offering an abundance of goods, services, and sustenance.
This event is brimming with workshops, seminars, and sessions centered on health, wellness, finances, family, and entrepreneurship, encouraging engagement with experts in their
field on a level unlike any other. Guiding Right, Inc., will have a super session discussing, “In 2023 Black Women are still being overrepresented among new cases of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases?”, this will take place at 2:30pm inside the auditorium. Another one of the biggest events during the expo is the Fashion Show that is produced by the Milan Collections in the auditorium at 5:30pm.
The Women of Color Expo awards luncheon will honor women who are regarded as cornerstones of the community and highlight the resilience and unique magnanimity women of color offer daily in their various roles as mothers, sisters, and daughters, as well as career-driven and educated individuals, respectively.
This year’s award recipients include: Lifetime Achievement recipients LaTeka Anderson Alexander, retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol Officer, who was the first Black woman to be a Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer and Dr. Earline J. Peterson, retired educator; Sharina Perry, Founder & CEO of Utopia Plastix and Utopia Genetics for Woman of the Year; Sherri McMullen, owner of McMullen Boutique in Oakland, California for Trailblazer of the Year; Colisha Lewis, Sr. VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Tinker Federal Credit Union for Corporate Woman of the Year; Tanaka Wilson owner of Big O’s Pork & Dreams for Entrepreneur of the Year; Dr. Elicia Pollard, Dean of the School of Physical Therapy at Langston University for Educator of the Year; Angela Bush Scobey, First Lady of Ebenezer Baptist Church for Public Servant of the Year; Raven Barnes owner of the Rave Hair Salon & Boutique for Hairstylist of the Year; Kimber Gipson for Mother of the Year; Launa West of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company for Influencer of
the Year; and our Black Girls Rock recipients Ms. Bobbi White a graduating Senior at Douglass High School.
The host for the luncheon is Kim Malone of Mercedes Benz of Oklahoma City, and she is also last year’s Corporate Woman of the year.
The keynote speaker for the awards luncheon is Hollywood actor Mr. Morris Chestnut who has been seen in the hit Peacock series The Best Man, The Best Man movies, the iconic Boyz in the Hood movie and many others. The awards luncheon will start at 11:00am.
The Women of Color Expo Oklahoma will take place Saturday, April 8th at Metro Technology Centers Springlake Campus located at 1900 N. Springlake Drive, from 10:00am-7:00pm, and it’s free for everyone to attend. To see the full itinerary of the free seminars look inside this week’s Black Chronicle Newspaper or online at www.womenofcolorexpo.org.
Sponsors of this great event are Tinker Federal Credit Union; Northeast Tag Agency; Guiding Right, Inc.; BancFirst; Riverside Gardens Cemetery; First Security Bank; Mercedes Benz of Oklahoma City; and Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company.
