Registration 5:30pm-6:00pm
Welcome & Keynote Session 6:00pm-7:15pm
Session Title: Diversity and Dysfunction: Championing Culture in Chaos TM Keynote Speaker: Rasheed Ali Cromwell
Room: Heritage AB
Description: The political landscape in America is increasingly polarized. In recent years, a series of high profile law enforcement killings of Black people, the January 6 th attack on the U.S. Capitol America is igniting a divisive and hostile climate nationwide. As a student leader and social justice warrior how can you bridge the gap to effectuate positive and impactful change? How do you cut through the rhetoric to reach those who may not seem like they want to be reached? What are the tools necessary for success?
This interactive and enlightening session utilizes strategies historically rooted in civil rights movements, change management theory and intentional communication strategies to empower participants with short term and long-term plans to not only survive but succeed on their campuses and communities.
Breakfast 8:00am-9:00am
Session Block I 9:15am-10:30am
Session A
Workshop Title: Fighting for a seat at the table? Build Your Own Table. – Black Freelance entrepreneurship
Presenter: Micah Autry
Description: As a black entrepreneur, we must first learn to play the game to change the game. As a black entrepreneur and business professional, we must first move in a way that is in alignment with the status quo. That may often include conforming our appearance, code switching, tailoring created content, and adjusting our own mindset. It is not “selling out,” “being water down,” or anything of the like, it is about being aware of the matrix; so, you can play it long enough until you can be disruptive.
Session B
Workshop Title: Creating an Inclusive Community for Your Students
Presenter: Dr. A. Tamika Quick
Room: Savannah
Workshop Description: Building Inclusive Communities is an initiative to promote inclusion, respect, and accountability to be different together. As higher education professionals we have to assess what inclusion efforts currently exist to support a sense of belonging for our students. After assessing what is being done well and what has opportunities for improvement we have to create action plans to cultivate cultural changes. Lastly, we must discuss ways to execute the initiatives while ensuring buy-in from students, faculty, and staff members. This workshop is geared towards reviewing various higher education assessments that are available to evaluate DEI efforts and discuss various initiatives and programs that can be implemented to move the needle forward towards inclusivity on college campuses.
Session C
Workshop Title: How to talk Yo Ish: Reaffirming What You Already Know
Presenters: LaShata Grayson
Room: Heritage C
Description: Do I advocate for my chapter members or myself? Want to speak up but somehow don’t have the right words to say. Am I an advocate or an ally? Am I speaking up and showing up for what matters? Oftentimes, we know what to say, but struggle with how to say it. What we are scared to say, is often what is needed to be said? Come learn key tips on how to advocate for yourself and for causes that matter.
Break 10:30am – 10:45am
Session Block II 10:45am – 12:00PM
Workshop Title: How Musicianship Informs Leadership in the Music Industry
Presenter: Russell Clarke
Description: The Music Industry is filled with powerhouse musicians and business icons who create the media that we consume and shape a large part of the entertainment industry that we know today. Several of these industry leaders started as musicians and then worked their way into leadership roles. So how did they achieve this, and what did they learn as musicians that allowed them to excel in their roles as leaders?
Session B Workshop Title: Creating Inclusive Safe Spaces for Historically Marginalized Students of Color through Coalition Building Presenter: Kwame Phillips
Description: Developing a coalition of groups and individuals provides a unique strategy to creating significant change within a university and campus culture that will solve a problem or achieve a shared goal. This workshop discusses what a student community coalition or partnership at a university is, why it is important, how it creates lasting impact, and how it is implemented at universities. This session will explore the Johns Hopkins University Multicultural Affairs and its implementation of the Multicultural Leadership Council as an effective and permanent community coalition of 35+ culture and identity affinity groups.
Workshop Title: Unlearning to Learn: Teaching and Leading through an Equity Lens
Presenter: Dr. Nakeisha Savage
Description: Following Part I, “Non-racist vs. Anti-racist Educator 101”, this session takes participants on an anti-racist journey that explores the ways in which racism influences curricula, instructional practices, assessment measures and practices and more. This session pushes educators to examine and reflect on what they have been taught by teacher preparation programs, in-service PDs and educational research and literature on student learning. The session aims to develop and strengthen participants’ critical consciousness leading to antiracist action that aims to ignite student agency, increase teacher efficacy and develop a culture of collaboration and accountability that leads to student success.
Lunch
12:00pm-1:00pm
Session Block III
1:15pm-2:30pm
Workshop Title: The 4 Essential Leaders: Leadership Lessons from Tulsa’s Black Wall Street
Presenter: De’Von Truvel
Description: You may have heard of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, one of the most economically successful Black Communities in American history. You may have heard about it’s violent end but have you heard of its beautiful beginning? There are many lessons to learn from the leaders, visionaries, and real people who built Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. In this workshop, we will reintroduce you to the legacy of Greenwood and outline the 4 types of leaders every community needs to thrive. See you there!
Session B Workshop Title: Student Activism 101: How to make change on your campus Presenter: Kwyn Townsend Riley
Description: The time is now for change and we need students. Are you passionate about a cause on your campus and unsure of how to take the next step? Are you frustrated with a societal injustice and want your campus to do more? Are you hungry for change? This workshop will give you the tools necessary on how to make change on your campus.
Workshop Title: Filter or No filter: Exploring Colorism
Presenter: LaShatá Grayson
Description: Influencers, Tiktoks, and or reels? Who are the people that you are seeing, and what are the standards you are subconsciously making for your organizations? Rather it’s the pictures we post or videos we make, the standard was set without us being fully aware. This standard is normally from a Eurocentric lens that roots back centuries. Often times we need to ask ourselves, are we being inclusive to all or exclusive to a specific look, image, and or group type? This session will empower and educate you to move past placing filters on yourself and your organization and move forward with a new set of standards.
Breakfast 8:30am-9:30am
Session Block I 9:30am-10:30am
Workshop Title: Real Talk Conversations: Substance Use Disorder in Black and Brown Communities
Presenter: Marie Miller and Teri Carlyle
Description: Real Talk Conversations on Erasing the Stigma of Opioid/Substance Use Disorder in the Black and Brown community is a safe space to come and learn about the opioid epidemic; signs of opioid use disorder; and ways to reverse an overdose. Come and receive NARCAN, fentanyl test strips, and a gift!
Workshop Title: No More Drama: Using Restorative Practices in Social Justice Work
Presenter: Dr. Christopher Irving
Description: Conflict is an inevitable consequence when diverse and charismatic leaders are brought together for a common goal. However, how these leaders deal with those conflicts can determine how effectively the group will operate. This workshop is geared towards empowering participants with effective restorative practice skills that they can use to help facilitate difficult conversations, meetings, or events. Furthermore, attendees of this workshop will leave the session having explored their own comfort level with various dimensions of diversity that might be landmines for conflict.
Workshop Title: Live! 5 Steps to Being More Free Spirited
Presenter: Tamika Lang
Description: Are you tired of not living up to your potential? Are you having trouble owning or defining your identity and living your most authentic life? Are you attached to societal norms and traditions and are these attachments stifling your joy? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this book is for you! We will walk through 5 steps that will enable you to begin and sustain your journey to you!!!
Closing 10:45am – 12:00PM
Workshop Title: Campus Action Plan
Presenters: Black Students Lead Conference Team
Description: In the culminating activity of Black Students Lead 2023, students and advisors will meet in breakout rooms with their respective campus groups, select the first campus issue they plan to address and brainstorm action steps to begin to implement their plan. Campus groups will present their action plans to each other to permit sharing of ideas across campuses.