Over the last eight years, hundreds of teenage girls from high schools across the greater Kansas City area have come to UMKC for the annual Women of Color Leadership Conference High School/Collegiate Connection Day hosted by the Division of Diversity and Inclusion. This half-day mini conference encourages connection, empowerment and, most of all, access to higher education.
An extension of the larger Women of Color Leadership Conference, which takes place every June, the connection day gives high school girls an opportunity to learn from professional and collegiate women of color across UMKC and the greater Kansas City community. Workshop presenters discuss topics related to self-esteem, personal branding, embracing your identity and more. Here’s a look back at the impact made at this year’s conference.
“Never in my life have I ever felt more EMPOWERED by the person I am and my background. I’ve never been more PROUD of the person I am and have never felt I mattered as much as I have today.”
“‘It’s okay not to be okay,’ taking in all of the wisdom from keynote speaker Brittany Ferrell at the Women of Color Leadership Conference. What a truly amazing talk.”
“I loved today’s Women of Color Leadership Conference! So uplifting and powerful to see a room full of beautiful and successful black and brown women of all areas spreading awareness and self-love and change.”
“The Women of Color Conference is always the highlight of my year. These young folks are beautiful, strong and making it happen! Chancellor’s Chief of Staff Kimiko Black Gilmore kicked us off with fire!”