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Recognizing that the battered women's movement had failed its sisters of color, WCADV developed the Communities of People of Color (COPOC) Project. Initiated in 1994, the COPOC Project has supported the efforts of ethnic and racial minority communities to address the problem of domestic violence within their own communities. Project activities have included coordination, technical assistance, networking support, education and training, leadership provision, organizing, the provision of financial resources and community outreach.
Programs that receive funding to specialize in services to traditionally under-served or marginalized populations have a relatively recent history in the domestic violence movement. WCADV's consistent efforts began in 1995 with UNIDOS (a network of Latino advocates from throughout Wisconsin and from various professions) and the Refugee Family Strengthening Project (Hmong Refugee Services providers). Our work expanded to support American Indians Against Abuse (AIAA, a network of Wisconsin's eleven tribal domestic abuse programs) and development of the African American Planning Committee (AAPC), a WCADV project that brings together over 50 African American individuals from various communities and professions to address domestic violence in Wisconsin's African American community). Click here to learn more about UNIDOS, Refugee Family Strengthening Project and AIAA.
Our underlying premise is that marginalized communities must be supported to establish leadership within the battered women's movement and to determine best practices and approaches to address domestic violence in their own communities. Our goal is to fully vest Wisconsin's communities of color in the privileges that come from being an established system.
Networking and Support
The COPOC Project provides networking and support for people from ethnic and racial minority communities in their work with domestic violence victims and their children.
- The COPOC provides a voice for and promotes involvement and participation of people of color, particularly battered women of color, in WCADV. The committee meets several times a year and also provides support and leadership training for battered/formerly battered women of color.
- The Leadership Institute is an annual conference for people of color. This two-day event has grown exponentially in attendance and scope since its inception in 1997. The Leadership Institute includes keynote speakers and workshops offered on topics that follow three tracks: personal development, domestic violence program training and leadership development issues. There is also a children's program that includes workshops and childcare for children who attend with their parents and guardians. The involvement of domestic violence victims of color in telling their stories and sharing their experiences is fundamental to the success of this event. This event also creates the opportunity for communities of color to learn from and teach each other while discussing domestic violence and its impact in their respective communities. This event promotes a sense of solidarity among communities of color instead of competition between them, as they seek to address the intersections of racism, cultural oppression and violence against women in a safe setting. Participants in this event have consistently become further involved in other efforts to address domestic violence. For more information on the Leadership Institute please visit the Events Section to see our Training and Meeting Calendar.
- The annual Clergy Conference trains faith communities how to identify those parishioners who are involved in domestic violence situations; teaches clergy/ministers how to respond properly to the needs of victims, survivors, and perpetrators; and acquaints clergy, ministers, and lay ministers with resources available to them for victims of domestic violence and their children.
- WCADV provides support for statewide and national networking, mentoring and organizing for Wisconsin's African American, Hmong, Latina and Native American advocates.
Technical Assistance and Quality Improvement
The COPOC Project activities have included technical assistance, education and training, the provision of financial resources and community outreach.
For more information on networking and support and technical assistance and quality improvement available from WCADV, please contact the Outreach Coordinator at (608) 255-0539 or click here and select Communities of Color from the drop-down list to end an e-mail message.