The Mason Spirit

Women of Color on the Rise

Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue Vakalahi, associate professor of social work, with Wilma Peebles Wilkins

In Women of Color on the Rise Rise (Columbia University Press, November 2009), Ofahengaue Vakalahi presents essays by African American, Asian American, Latina, Pacific Islander, and Native American women on their experiences working within the field of social work, describing their rise to leadership and their efforts to maintain authority. Emphasizing themes of social change and justice, these narratives make visible the unique challenges faced by leaders and administrators of color, an issue that continues to affect women within the field today.