Speaker: Plight not just our own

Yvette Kaufman-Bell spoke to an audience of students of different races and nationalities about the accomplishments of black women Thursday at Eastern New Mexico University.

Kaufman-Bell's speech, "Ain't I a Woman," focused on the plight of black women in the women's rights movement in the U.S. and the modern-day accomplishments of black women. Her speech tied into National Women's History Month, which is this month.

Kaufman-Bell, 40, executive director of the state's office of African-American affairs, said she wanted her words to help students understand past and present differences in American society.

Benna Sayyed: CMI staff writer

Yvette Kaufman-Bell speaks to students about the role of black women in the battle for racial equality Thursday at Eastern New Mexico University. Kaufman-Bell grew up in Clovis and is an ENMU alumna.

"We as African-Americans should realize that our plight, our history is not just our own," said Kaufman-Bell, an ENMU alumna who grew up in Clovis and lives in Albuquerque.

"It belongs to America. African-American history is American history when you talk about equal rights and opportunities and access to those opportunities for all minority groups. This is especially true in New Mexico, where it is a majority-minority state."

Kaufman-Bell highlighted black female civil rights activists such as Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine, who do not receive as much attention as other well-known female civil rights activists. She spoke from her own experience.

Kaufman-Bell said she had to conduct research to educate herself on her culture and heritage because it was not taught in school when she was growing up in Clovis. She said she has noticed strides have been made to ensure the next generation being raised is better educated than she was growing up.

"It's important to continue moving forward with the message of equality and equal rights and opportunity when it comes to education, economics, healthcare. It's also important for us to share the message. If we don't share the message it gets lost."

Kaufman-Bell said when she started attending ENMU in 1992 the school did not have an official observance of Martin Luther King Day. She said she and 30 students from the student body government and the university president changed that with no problem.

Alnise Freeman, a sophomore at ENMU and director of African American-Affairs at ENMU, said she enjoyed learning about the accomplishments of women in New Mexico.

"The presentation made me feel real good and proud to be a woman," Freeman said. "It makes me want to set a path for others so we can keep growing and progressing as a gender."

Jacob Lee, a senior at ENMU and office assistant in Native American affairs, thought Kaufman-Bell's speech showed the importance of a minority group fighting for its voice to be heard.

"In life it seems like there is always this dominant culture and there's always someone else that needs to be heard because they can bring something to the table," Lee said. "I think that's what this month represents, the women who were fearless enough to fight for these rights."