Women of Color have a variety of experiences within academia, many of which are marred by the interstices of racism, classism, sexism, and the hetero patriarchy that upholds the structure of white supremacy in higher education (Gay, 2004; Pena, 2022). However, there is a legacy of Women of Color who have created and continue to create collectives to survive and, more importantly, thrive within academia. This qualitative phenomenological study uses Critical Feminist theory and Platica methodology to understand how and why Women of Color create collectives in their doctoral programs. Furthermore, this study serves as a marker on the genealogical map that traces Women of Color collectives and epistemologies inside and outside academia. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]