2021 Breakout Session Descriptions

Facilitated by Nicole M. Joseph

This interactive session begins with “your stories” as women of color in the academy. Dr. Joseph starts with what participants already know about intersectionality as a theoretical frame,
methodological tool, and pedagogical process. She then builds upon participants’ foundational knowledge to expand upon important components of intersectionality methodology (IM). What a participant can expect to walk away with is a shared collective knowledge about how and why intersectionality is
critical for collective rebirth, renewal, and rise of power among women of color in the academy.

Facilitated by Josephine M. Kim

Every breathing individual harbors unconscious biases that prevent us from making equitable and inclusive decisions. Our brains heavily rely on past cultural and socialization experiences by default to provide data that fills in the blanks between what we see and what we want to see. Hence, implicit racial bias is called “the new diversity paradigm,” recognizing the significant role it plays in our day-to-day functioning. It permeates all aspects of a counselor’s work,
from the ways in which we offer advice and discipline to how
we evaluate and set expectations. In this session, Dr. Kim will define implicit bias, demonstrate how unconscious bias works, and foster dialogue on how faculty can work to mitigate it.

Facilitated by Dalia Llera

Our colleagues, students, or trainees often wonder, “How do I find support? What does support look like?”
In this workshop, Dr. Llera will explore the mindset of being a person who can thrive at providing and receiving support. She will provide strategies to allow one to cultivate meaningful
relationships at work through advising, mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching.

Facilitated by Kerstin Perez

All too often, students’ passion for an academic discipline is extinguished by their experiences in undergraduate classrooms. For students whose gender, race, or ethnicity are underrepresented in a given academic field, classroom environments can appear especially unwelcoming. In this workshop, Dr. Perez helps participants develop interventions tailored to their own courses with the aim of improving students’ sense of belonging within the class environment and retention in their academic field of choice. The goal is to focus on small, manageable
changes that can be immediately implemented.

Facilitated by Lisa A. Gray, Margaret Hahn-Dupont, Oyinda Oyelaran, Iman Salama

The panelists will share their visions, experiences, and approaches to redefining higher education. They will discuss ways to empower teaching faculty and how to promote, embrace, and leverage diversity across academic programs.

Facilitated by Shardé M. Davis 

We have been living through two concurrent pandemics for over a year—COVID-19 and systemic racism, specifically anti-Black racism and anti-Asian hate—and many of us are
depleted mentally, physically, emotionally, cognitively, and
spiritually. But, “the work” remains and someone has to do it. In this session, participants will listen to a personal account from Dr. Shardé M. Davis about serving as a “scholar activist” as a Black woman during a season of
racial reckoning and COVID-19. And then, participants will enter into smaller groups to engage in discussions (using guiding questions) to think about how we (as women of
color academics) can ensure that the social justice work continues while also honoring the fact that many of us need a break to recharge.

Facilitated by Geraldine Richmond

Negotiations occur every day in the scientific laboratory and workplace and often involve issues that are key to research success and career advancement. This interactive
workshop, led by Dr. Geraldine Richmond, teaches the fundamentals of negotiation relevant to a variety of
one-on-one conversations and group settings. Topics include the importance of negotiation to advance research and career objectives, identification of negotiables for
research and career advancement, elements of a successful negotiation, the importance of developing alternatives to an agreement, techniques for handling difficult people and conversations, and the importance of listening and
appreciating different viewpoints.

Facilitated by Janise McNair, Meenakshi Narain, H.C. Robinson,
Serena Parekh

The panelists will share their experiences and successful strategies to build research networks and collaborate on
grant funding.

Facilitated by Robyn L. Gobin

This session is designed to equip busy academic women of color with practical tips for making self-care a daily habit rather than an occasional luxury. Dr. Robyn L. Gobin encourages participants to explore the unique self-care challenges academic women of color face and how to overcome them.

Facilitated by Stacy Blake-Beard

Delve into the concept of tempered visibility as a means of strategy and sustenance. In this session, led by Dr. Stacy Blake-Beard, the conversation will touch on several key questions. What is meant by visibility? How do we as women of color face the challenges associated with invisibility
and/or hypervisibility? How does tempered visibility act as a powerful agent to accompany us as we navigate the complexities of our lives?