Topic: Loretta Ross

The term "people of color" (POC) is analyzed as a political designation rather than a biological one, originating from 1970s activism to foster solidarity among non-white groups. One host expresses a strong personal distaste for the phrase, arguing it is a linguistic rearrangement of the offensive term "colored people." The conversation references J. Edgar Hoover as an example of racial ambiguity and critiques the lumping of diverse ethnic identities into a single "non-white" box for political utility.

Loretta Ross explains the 1977 National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas, as the birthplace of the term "women of color." Originally, a group of activists brought a "Black Women's Agenda" to the $5 million federally funded event to replace an inadequate minority plank. The term was created as a negotiation tool to include other minority women in the agenda, though Ross notes that the original political intent has since been confused with biological destiny.