Nearly 30 faculty and staff members attended the 'Journey Within'
conference at Indiana Tech.
Nearly 30 Black women from Grand Valley found a deeper sense of
community when they traveled to Indiana for a conference designed to
create a safe space where Black women working in higher education
could share their diverse experiences and support one another.
The Division of Inclusion and Equity sponsored 26 faculty and staff
to attend "The Journey Within: Investing in the Experiences of
Black Women," hosted by Indiana Tech, in Fort Wayne.
Latoya Booker, learning and development program director for
Inclusion and Equity, said the spring conference came at an opportune
time as two national
stories about Black women in higher education weighed heavily on colleagues.
"The Division of Inclusion and Equity strives to support Grand
Valley’s commitment of enhancing the well-being for all community
members," Booker said. "This includes being sensitive to how
various populations experience our campus. The conference provided a
unique space to honor Black women within higher education, strengthen
their connections and elevate their voices."
The conference, which is planned again in April at Indiana Tech,
featured keynote speakers and storytelling sessions. Booker said the
Grand Valley group met in June to reflect and consider next steps.
Booker said the Division of Inclusion and Equity looks forward to
collaborating with conference attendees and GVSU affinity groups,
including Positive Black
Women and the Black
Faculty and Staff Association, to identify ways to replicate
spaces like this at GVSU.
Campers toured and participated in activities at the Sustainable Agricultural Project, Laker Esports Center, biology labs, Mary Idema Pew Library and AWRI.
Wave Lumina earned second place at the AquaHacking Challenge, a pitch competition in Traverse City for startups with technology focused on freshwater solutions.