The sixth annual "Women of Color Celebration" will be held at Hope College on Wednesday, March 26, at 5 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium.

The event, scheduled in conjunction with national Women's History Month, will feature a keynote address, testimonials and a light supper. The theme is "It Takes Strength and Courage."

Admission is $7 for the general public, $4.50 for Hope students not on the college's meal plan and $2 for Hope students using the meal plan. Tickets must be purchased in advance by Friday, March 21, and are available during weekday business hours. They are on sale at the Student Union Desk in the DeWitt Center through Friday, March 14, and will be sold at the Student Development Office in the DeWitt Center on Monday-Friday, March 17-21.

Limited seating will be available for those who wish to hear the testimonials and address but do not intend to dine.

The keynote address will be delivered by Eva Aguirre-Cooper of WOOD TV-8. The testimonials will be presented by three Hope College students: junior Emily Cronkite of Holland, senior Abbie Gonzales of Holland and senior Kimberly Turner of Grand Blanc.

Aguirre-Cooper joined WOOD TV-8 as director of community affairs in 1997.

She previously worked at Trillion Post Production as a project manager for four years, her responsibilities including traveling to Mexico City to manage projects in the Mexico City production community. From 1984 to 1994, she worked at PBS stations including WSIU, SCETV and WGVU.

Aguirre-Cooper has also worked as a journalism instructor in Detroit, and as an English instructor for children in Mexico City.

She is involved in community organizations including The Child and Family Resource Council; the Process, Design and Implementation Committee, working on the new master plan for the City of Grand Rapids; and the Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities Academy. In the past, she served on the Villa Esperanza, the Latin America Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids Cable Access Corporation.

Aguirre-Cooper holds a bachelor's degree in communication from Oakland University.

The Student Union Desk and Student Development Office are on the first floor of the DeWitt Center, located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. The Maas Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 11th Street.