Women of color have continually faced barriers in obtaining leadership positions in higher education. This issue will be the central focus of the NYU Leadership Initiative’s event: Women of Color in Leadership, being held Wednesday starting at 12:15 p.m. in the Puck Building. Melody Barnes, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama, and Diahann Billings-Burford, Director of Corporate Responsibility at Time Warner Inc. will be speaking at the event. Barnes and Billings-Burford will share their journeys as women of color who fought to be leaders a society that discourages them. The discussion will also stress the importance of mentorship and empowerment while working to overcome the barriers that have confined women of color.

Although the U.S. has been slightly more progressive in offering leadership positions to women, they are still underrepresented in many institutions, like higher education. In particular, women are marginalized while white men hold the majority of administrative positions. Wednesday’s discussion will not only acknowledge the problems surrounding women of color attaining leadership positions, but will also advocate for diminishing institutionalized racism and sexism.

Email Brooke Jensen at [email protected].