L.O.V.E. provides a safe space for women of color
New members of L.OV.E. being inducted in Nunemaker auditorium on March 26. The organization inducted nearly 30 new members.
April 13, 2023
The experience of being both Black and a woman are unique, so having a space and community for them is invaluable, according to mass communication senior and L.O.V.E. President Tori Hardy.
L.O.V.E., which stands for Living Our Vision Everyday, a student-led organization for women of color, strives to do just that.
L.O.V.E. was fostered at Loyola under the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs in 2015. Their mission is to create a sisterhood empowered through academia, mentorship, leadership, community service, and overall excellence.
Psychology senior and L.O.V.E.’s social media chair Imani McGowan said that L.O.V.E. is a space for Black women to be surrounded by other Black women, where they can be their unique selves and uplift each other.
“Having a Black space where we can be ourselves is a great thing, especially for Loyola. I feel like it’s a step in the right direction,” McGowan said. “And I hope it continues and we get more opportunities like this.”
Hardy said that it’s very important for people of all communities to feel comfortable and to feel like they have people they can share solidarity with.
“Loyola has a pretty significant Black community, in terms of numbers, for it being a predominantly white institution. But just because the numbers are there, doesn’t always mean that people feel connected or feel like they have the space to connect with other people in their communities,” she said. “We create that opportunity for Black women.”
On March 26, the club held their annual induction ceremony, in which members who attended the club’s sisterhood sessions were officially recognized as members of the club.
Hardy said the organization inducted nearly 30 new members.
“Most of our current members are graduating, so it makes me really happy to know that there will be a continuation of the organization,” she said.
