This roundtable seeks to chronicle and discuss both the trials and triumphs of women students, staff and faculty of color at Queens College toward creating an equitable campus living and learning environment. Central to the conversation is an open dialogue on the necessity of culturally cogent recruitment and retention strategies that seek to provide a nurturing educational environment for students of color as well as a supportive environment for faculty of color. The panel will explore the experiences of discussants who came to Queens College as students and would later serve in roles as staff, faculty and administrators. The obstacles they encountered during the various stages of their tenure, helped shape how the College seeks to create equitable spaces for students and faculty of color to thrive in the 21st century and beyond.