Meet The QCC Crew: Vincent La

Name: Vincent La
Major: Biochemistry
Year: 4th

What does the Queer People of Color Conference mean to you?

"I believe this conference is one of the major rally points where those that want to get involved and those that are currently in the struggle for Queer People of Color visibility can meet and discuss ways to empower each other and essentially combat the social struggle it is to be a Queer Person of Color. More can be read here."

Definition, Deconstruction, and Empowerment

By Vincent La
Co-Chair of the Queer People of Color Conference

Decolonization is to deconstruct our own identities and to forge leadership that reverberates throughout our different communities. Individuals obsess over the definition instead of the issue at hand and that in my opinion is what keeps progressive movements from pushing forward into leaps and bounds. We must not focus on our own personal oppressions but choose to work to our strengths to empower each other. Definitionalism is a damaging style of intellectual inquiry based on perverse, fetishistic involvement with definition. We are our worst oppressors.

Meet The QCC Crew: Fernando Noah Terrazas

Name: Fernando Noah Terrazas
Major: Economics/Admin. Studies
Year: 3rd

What does the Queer People of Color Conference mean to you?

"To me, the QPOC Conference is a place intended to open and expand your mind. At the QPOC conference students experience things from a different view point in hopes of spreading tolerance and understanding; to learn not what makes us different, but what makes us similar."

Meet The QCC Crew: Remie Rahman

Name: Remie Rahman

Major: Liberal Studies and Sociology
Year: 3rd

What does the Queer People of Color Conference mean to you?

"As an ally, this conference means a lot to me because it gives my fellow queer peers a safe space to talk about issues within the queer community. As an ally, sometimes it is difficult for me to understand their experiences; but I love how conferences, such as the QPOCC, give me the opportunity to learn more about the queer community and teach me how I can improve on being a better ally."

Meet The QCC Crew: Erving Tu

Name: Erving Tu

Major: Biological Sciences
Year: 5th

What does the Queer People of Color Conference mean to you?

"The Queer People of Color Conference is a major opportunity for me to further expose myself to queer issues, queer life, and new ideas that will challenge my presupposed notions of my constructed gender and sex. It will hopefully help me learn what it means to be an ally and hopefully find inspiration to become a better one."

Meet The QCC Crew: Sanisha Meador

Name: Sanisha Meador

Major: Double Major in Japanese and Women's Studies

Year: 3rd year

Why is the Queer People of Color Conference important to you?

"The Queer People of Color Conference is a symbol of progress, it shows how far we have come along as a college community of Queer People of Color."

Ryka Aoki & Kenyon Farrow To Speak at QPOC Conference

Ryka Aoki & Kenyon Farrow To Speak at QPOC Conference

The 6^th Annual Queer People of Color Conference will feature speakers Kenyon Farrow and Ryka Aoki. They will also present workshops at the QPOC Conference, hosted by UC Riverside on April 8-10, 2011.