Chicago-based author Ada Nivia Lopez will be the featured speaker as the Wisconsin Women of Color Network, Inc. (WWOCN) will celebrate Women’s History Month on Saturday, March 3, at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Madison. The theme of this year’s conference is “Celebrating Our Success.”

The event features the recognition of women who will receive the 2018 WWOCN Woman of Achievement Award. This award is given each year to deserving racial-ethnic minority women who are nominated by their own peers. They have demonstrated commitment and service toward the improvement of the quality of life for all women, shown a high degree of professionalism in their own areas of expertise, and done well in their own personal growth and development. They are role models and are held in high esteem by their own constituencies. Focusing on the conference theme, the awardees will speak on their life experiences to serve as an inspiration to all conference participants.

Recipients of the 2018 award are:
Velma Joyce Ritcherson, African –American
Sandra J. Blumer, EDD, American Indian
Miriam Santos Amador, Asian American
Lupita Montoto, Latina.

Lupita Monoto (here with husband Luis) will be honored at the WWOCN Women’s History Month Conference.

Perla Larios Ramos, Madison College, will receive the Cammer-Hill Grant for her continuing pursuit of higher education in the field of chemistry and a lunch buffet will be served at noon.

The conference’s featured speaker, Ada Nivia Lopez, is author of the book “Asi Somos/Who We Are,” a unique collection of artful, vibrant images capturing the diversity and exuberance of the Puerto Rican diaspora. The book is a collection of vibrant colored photos paired with brief creative nonfiction highlighting Puerto Rican enormous richness and diversity over a ten-year span through 38 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Lopez is an educator, policymaker, and community leader born in Puerto Rico and raised in Chicago. She scripted the essays while internationally published photographer Mark Joseph captured the images as the two traveled seeking Puerto Rican life in communities from Chicago to Honolulu to New York and various places in between.

Wisconsin Women of Color Network, Inc. (WWOCN) will celebrate Women’s History Month on Saturday, March 3, 2018, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel, 525 West Johnson Street. The public is invited but a reservation to attend is required. The deadline for reservation is Monday, Feb. 26. To make a reservation, please contact Nelia Olivencia at (608)516-1040, [email protected] or Charlestine (Charlie) Daniel, (608)576-5759, [email protected].