In an effort to celebrate the work of all women of color in the field, the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) at Binghamton University hosted the webinar “Women of Color Leaders in Atrocity Prevention.”

The webinar was held on April 9 and discussed how students can support prevention against genocide and mass atrocities from both the domestic and international perspectives of women of color leaders. Panelists offered their views on U.S. foreign and domestic policy, environmental and economic policy, celebrating leaders of color, the definition and historical accounts of mass atrocities and more.

Francia Marquez, a presidential candidate for the country of Colombia and a featured panelist, has worked with Black communities around the world as an Afro-Colombian environmental and racial justice leader.

Mirana Sheffield, another featured panelist, has worked for victims of sexual exploitation in California as a case manager for the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC). She also played a central role in coordinating accountability between communities and their police systems regarding violence in disadvantaged communities — particularly Black communities — as a core member of Police Oversight Starts Today (POST) a civilian organization that conducts oversight of the Pomona Police Department in California. Sheffield recently ran for a seat on Pomona City Council and came in third place through her progressive grassroots campaign.

Nadia Rubaii, co-director of I-GMAP, a professor of public administration and co-host of the webinar, delivered the opening remarks. She informed the audience that I-GMAP will be hosting another webinar event, “Risks and Realities of Mass Atrocities facing Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples,” on Friday, April 16. The webinar will focus on mass atrocities that have been and continue to be experienced by Indigenous peoples in Brazil. Four panelists will be attending, including two Indigenous activists, one government official and a legal scholar. Upon return to campus for the fall 2021 semester, Rubaii said I-GMAP will start the process of regularly hosting international guests on campus again while continuing the regular webinars.

Jenny Escobar, a Charles E. Scheidt postdoctoral fellow in I-GMAP at BU and co-host of the webinar, said white male-dominated government policy and mass atrocity prevention strategies were inadequate for their cause.

“Atrocity prevention needs women of color not only at the table when decisions are being made but also in leadership positions to ensure that issues, perspectives and approaches that are otherwise neglected are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to prevention,” Escobar said.

Sheffield described her upbringing in southern America, citing both Black women matriarchs and the Combahee River Collective Statement — made by the Combahee River Collective, a Black feminist lesbian socialist organization active in Boston between 1974 and 1980 — as major influencers of her work. Sheffield was the first panelist interviewed. Sheffield discussed how the Western rhetoric of mass atrocities neglects what she sees as domestic mass atrocities, such as Black infant health issues, violence and discrimination toward the trans-Black community or police killings dealt with on the local level.

“Before we can be saviors for the world, we really have to locate these atrocities happening right here in our backyard, particularly when we think of Black women and the issues that go on with them,” Sheffield said.

Marquez discussed relations between the United States and Colombia, particularly now under the new Biden-Harris administration. On Jan. 22, 2021, Marquez wrote a public letter to the newly sworn-in Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The relationship between the United States diplomatically has been maybe okay, but the liberal policies of the United States that are implemented in our country affect the rights of Afro and Indigenous communities,” Marquez said. “We believe the voice of the United States matters here in Colombia, so we hope the U.S. government goes to the side of a policy for life. So far, [Harris] has not replied, but we want more than her reply. We hope her and [Biden’s] policies can guarantee the rights of the impoverished people in her country to guarantee peace and take care of the environment. We heard [Biden] has committed to a global and environmental policy, so we hope we will see that reflected in the policy of the United States and [Colombia].”

Sheffield emphasized the importance of how people choose which women of color leaders to celebrate. Sheffield said she believes the 2008 Green Party presidential campaign with Cynthia McKinney and running mate Rosa Clemente did not get notable support or attention because of its far-leftist platform.

“I think it’s important we celebrate our work because it needs to be celebrated and not left out,” Sheffield said. “But it’s also important to realize how that celebration takes place and who’s considered important enough to lift up as we see Black women brought up in power but others left out of that equation.”