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Expo caters to women of color
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
Women of color had the chance to learn about issues important to them and be pampered at the same time.
Workshops, panel discussions, free massages, makeovers and more were part of the second annual Women of Color Expo on Saturday at Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center.
“I felt like it was something that we needed,” said organizer Tiffany Allen, also known as T Luv of radio station JAMZ 101.9.
JAMZ and the YSU Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity co-sponsored the event.
Workshops focused on topics including parenting in a hip-hop world.
“Parenting hasn’t changed,” Allen noted. “People have more so changed. We’re in a new age, but the parents are the ones that are changing. They’re not as involved; so how do we get that back?”
Other workshop topics included learning to budget; health, beauty and fitness; etiquette for young women; and healing after a relationship ends.
“My daughter turned 26 a couple days ago, and I wanted to bring her out,” said Howarlette Pace of Liberty.
“It’s very interesting,” Pace said. “You’re learning a lot, different things you never thought of.”
Her daughter, April Williams, also of Liberty, said she enjoyed the programs.
The event included panel discussions on various topics. One — letters to our daughters — consisted of fathers’ discussing their take on today’s family.
“We’re asking, ‘Where have we gone wrong,’ as far as the family goes,” said JAMZ’s Allen. “Why aren’t fathers sticking around?”
Other panel topics were women-to-women relationships, being a woman in a man’s world and men discussing how they feel about today’s woman.
Vendors offered shopping opportunities, free neck and shoulder massages, yoga tips and more.
“I love making myself look better, making myself feel better. And being around other women of color is important to me,” said Cecily Garner of Farrell, Pa.
She enjoyed having her makeup done for her, something she doesn’t normally take the time to do.
“I love it. It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “I never thought I could look like this. And I appreciated it.”
She learned tips for applying the makeup quickly and easily.
“That’s the best part about it,” she said. “The fact that it’s easy, because I’m a busy woman.”