About Us
A Bit of Background
During the A2MEND 2017 WLI conference, there was a recurring question among the women. “How do you effectively handle situations when, as an African American woman, you are not given the same respect for your ideas and authority as your male and ethnically diverse peers?” Throughout this dialogue, it was evident that the vast majority of female students, faculty, staff and administrators all face similar challenges—the need for support, respect, advancement, and acknowledgement of authority and ideas. This interaction sparked the realization that there is a critical need for African American women to be afforded the opportunity to mentor, network, and receive professional development from other professional women with like minds, experiences, and challenges to aid them in being successful in the educational system, whether a student or employee.
This awareness became a reality for this group of dedicated women when they agreed to commit their time, efforts, and expertise to influence change in the mindset of the leaders in the community college educational system.
A2WEND is an organization comprised of African American professional women with a collaborative spirit and approach to addressing the need to increase the student success rate of African American females in the California community college system. A2WEND aims to inspire, empower, support, and equip African American women in their educational and professional pursuits via mentoring, networking, scholarships, and professional development.
Dealing with the challenges of today requires problem-solvers who bring different perspectives and are willing to effectively change the mindset and cultural of the California community college system. A2WEND emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and support the African American community and a desire for actions to speak louder than words.
The members of A2WEND are driven by a single goal; to help guide and support women of color in their educational and career pursuit. Our decision making process is informed by comprehensive empirical studies and high quality data evaluation. We strive to build productive relationships and make a positive impact with all of our pursuits. Established in 2019, we’re an organization driven by progressive ideas, bold actions, and a strong foundation of support. Contact us to learn more and to get involved.
