Summer Engagement: Race / Women’s Rights
Hi! My name is Leslie Roman and I am a rising Sophomore at UMass Amherst majoring in Political Science. I began my activism work in high school when I joined the Massachusetts based organization Student Immigrant Movement (S.I.M). In my time with S.I.M, I helped facilitate discussions on issues pertaining to immigration issues and rights, working hand in hand with students and faculty to educate and support the immigrant community of Boston.
My interest in activism soon expanded to more than just immigration, and that’s why I signed up for Race and the American Story during my Freshman year. Through all of the readings and conversations we had on African American leaders, writers, politicians, and more, I learned that Race and the Perception of Black Women is a topic that is often overlooked. This inspired my interest in discussing how race has impacted the perception of Black women through books, film, and music, which is what I am planning on doing as a RAS Fellow.
I look forward to all that is to come and all that will be learned.
Race, Politics, and Women’s Rights
Race, Politics, and Women’s Rights will delve into the topic of how politics, and specifically how Black women in politics, has shaped the perception of black women and women’s rights. By analyzing three female activists/politicians: Shirley Chisholm, Angela Davis, and Stacey Abrams, and the time period they were active in, we will be able to see how the perception of black women in both the political sphere and in general has changed throughout the decades.
