Location: April 29: Thurgood Marshall Hall, Reading Room, 3301
Be a part of I Feel Seen, a transformative three-part series designed to uplift and empower Black and Brown women staff in higher education.
This series* celebrates strengths, acknowledges contributions, and creates a space for amplifying voices of Black and Brown women. All people are welcome to come together to explore strategies for growth and leadership that foster belonging, support, and advancement.
Black and Brown women in mid-to-senior level staff roles are shaping the future of higher education with passion, resilience, expertise, and vision. As Black and Brown women continue to break barriers, this series provides a platform to connect, inspire, and share wisdom and community that propels Black and Brown women forward.
Throughout the series presenters and participants will cultivate a strong professional network while honor the collective journeys, and create intentional pathways for purposeful growth and impact of Black and Brown women.
*This series was made possible in part by the College of Arts and Humanities' "Harmony of Interdisciplinary" fellowship program.
Additional collaborators/sponsors include the School of Public Health, Anti-Black Racism Initiative, and Division of Student Affairs.
We invite you to join us for the first event of the series, Roots and Resilience: Understanding Our History and Impact, where we will reflect on the legacy and lived experiences of Black and Brown women in leadership roles in higher education. This panel event will create a space for reflection, celebration, and collective strategizing, honoring both the challenges we've faced and the remarkable impact we've had in shaping the higher education landscape.
Building on the foundation of our first event, the second session of the series focuses on bringing your full self into work—embracing authenticity, navigating challenges, and positioning yourself for success. In spaces where overwork is normalized and rest is undervalued, how can Black and Brown women in higher education reclaim their well-being? Too often, Black and Brown women in higher education navigate spaces that ask us to diminish parts of who we are to fit within existing structures. However, true leadership and fulfillment come from embracing our whole selves—our culture, our experiences, our voices.
This dynamic session will be led by certified Presence-Based Coach®, Monette Austin Bailey. Together, we will move from reflection to action. Through interactive discussions and insights from prior learned experiences, we will explore strategies for authentic self-presentation, navigating resistance, and aligning personal values with professional goals.
Lifting as We Climb is the powerful conclusion to our series, designed to inspire and empower the creation of authentic, lasting, and supportive professional networks. This event will equip participants with the tools to cultivate a dynamic network of mentors, sponsors, and peers who offer guidance, advocacy, and camaraderie, all while fostering relationships that fuel both career success and personal growth.
The focus will be on nurturing strong, empowering connections that elevate professional journeys and personal empowerment, while addressing the unique challenges Black and Brown women face in navigating professional spaces. Together, we will explore strategies to rise above these barriers, empowering each participant to thrive, and lead with confidence.