Women of Color Task Force

The Women of Color Task Force (WCTF) is a University of Michigan staff organization, founded in 1979, that provides professional development, networking, and training opportunities for employees, with a focus on addressing the needs of women of color staff. The WCTF serves as a support network and a forum for the exchange of information about the status of women of color staff at the University of Michigan.

In 1979, Jennie Partee of the U-M Affirmative Action Office and Beulah Sanders of the School of Education created the Minority Women’s Task Force, a staff organization that would provide career development opportunities for minority women employed at the university. With additional support from the University of Michigan Affirmative Action Office (HRAA), the Human Resource Development Office, the School of Education, and the University of Michigan Hospital Office of Organizational Effectiveness (Medical Center), Ms. Partee and Ms. Sanders developed a series of workshops designed to build professional skills that would empower and support African American women in their career advancement efforts at the University of Michigan.

The format consisted of small groups of women coming together to discuss employment concerns and career development opportunities within the University. Over the course of the next four years, the membership grew and focused on enhancing the workshop training modules. These efforts culminated in a day-long career development conference on February 25, 1983, that featured eleven professional development workshops and more than two hundred conference participants.

Officers

• Doreen Tinajero, LSA Center for Social Solutions (President, Policy Review and Advocacy Team)
• Shante Galloway, School of Dentistry (Vice President, Resource Development Team)
• Grace Wu, Taubman Research Institute (Treasurer, Outreach and Engagement Team)
• Katherine Weathers, LSA Scholarships (Secretary, Communications Team)

Executive Team Members

• Zarinah Aquil, Office of the Provost (Membership Social Team)
• LaTonya Berryhill, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (Program Development Team)
• Patricia Coleman-Burns, School of Nursing (WOCAP Liaison)
• Ellen Copeland-Brown, Michigan Medicine (Outreach and Engagement)
• Rachel Dawson, Precision Health (Career Conference /Juneteenth Chair and Bylaws and Operations)
• Maria Flores, Eisenberg Family Depression Center (Policy Review and Advocacy Team)
• Monica Hickson, ITS (Technology)
• Marlanna Landeros, DPSS (Educational Assistance Team))
• Janice Reuben, Alumni Association (Resource & Recognition Team/Historical Resource Team)

WCTF General Meeting Schedule for 2022-2023

WCTF general meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Please note that the WCTF meetings planned this year will be hybrid, with some being in-person and others on Zoom. Be sure to read all WCTF emails for meeting updates.

•   Thursday, October 20, 2022 – General Meeting
•   Thursday, November 17, 2022 – General Meeting
•   Thursday, December 15, 2022 – Holiday Lunch

Events Schedule 2022-2023

Please check back as additional events will be added throughout the year

• June 17, 2022 – 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration (Friday)
• June 30, 2022 – WCTF Member Career Talks
• March 3, 2023 – 41st Annual Career Conference
• June 19, 2023 – Juneteenth Celebration

Grow. Advance. Succeed. (GAS): Refuel Your Career

March 3, 2023 | 8:15 am – 4:00 pm

Registration Opens January 18^th

The Women of Color Task Force is excited to host its 41^st annual career conference this year on March 3, 2023. Pre–registration is required to participate in all events and sessions. Morning conference sessions will be presented virtually. The keynote luncheon and afternoon sessions will be in-person at the Michigan Union.  All session times are in Eastern Standard Time Zone.

The keynote presentation will take place at 12:00 pm EST at a luncheon in the Rogel Ballroom at the Michigan Union. Please review the information below for workshop descriptions, speaker details, and the full conference schedule.

Please ask your supervisor for professional development leave now so that you may attend this valuable conference opportunity!

All U-M staff, faculty, students, and the public, regardless of gender or ethnicity, are invited to register to attend this inclusive professional development event.

The deadline to register is February 28^th, at 12:00 pm EST.

Schedule at a Glance

Friday, March 3, 2023

• 8:15 am Welcome Remarks/Conference Orientation
• 8:30 am Workshop Session A
• 9:50 am Break
• 10:00 am Workshop Session B
• 12:00 pm
  Keynote Luncheon
  “Women of Color, Rise Through the Authenticity Principle”
  Ritu Bhasin, CEO and Founder of bhasin consulting inc. (bci)
• 2:30 pm Workshop Session C
• 4:00 pm Conference Ends

The Task Force hosts three professional development events: the annual career conference during winter break; a fall semester leadership retreat, and a Juneteenth celebration in June. Throughout the year, WCTF offers various career development training sessions for U-M staff throughout the year during the general membership meetings.  The brown-bag, lunchtime training sessions cover topics in the following areas: career decision-making, project management, leadership development, health & wellness, and work-life balance.

Are you interested in becoming a member of WCTF? Any University of Michigan (U-M) employee is eligible for membership in the Task Force if they are an active, regular staff member.

The Task Force encourages the participation of individuals from all University of Michigan departments and units who are interested in the professional development of women of color staff and supporting the career advancement of all U-M staff.

Please contact WCTF about membership via email at wctf-faqs@umich.edu.

Please contact WCTF via email at wctf-faqs@umich.edu or contact members of our Executive Team based on their programmatic areas.