Students Present 2023 Women of Color Summit
Working with faculty, staff and alumnae, student-leaders powered the 2023 Women of Color Summit. Photo by Dan Loh.
Annual event brings Dickinsonian students, alumni together to learn, share, connect
by MaryAlice Bitts Jackson
The 2023 Women of Color Summit drew Dickinsonians from several generations together to gain and share the knowledge, skills and connections it takes to thrive in any space they occupy. After a few years of virtual and mostly virtual offerings, the summit was back in person this year, but with opportunities for those who couldn’t travel back to campus for the event, held March 3-5.
All Dickinsonians who identify as women of color were invited to the three-day event. Other members of the Dickinson community who wish to learn about how to be effective allies to women of color were invited to the Sunday sessions. The theme was Womanhood, From Head to Toe.
As in years past, the summit was conceived, planned and run by student volunteers, under the direction of a faculty or staff member. The 2023 executive committee student leaders include Jianna Boswell ’23 (English), Lilly Eidelberg ’23 (educational studies, Africana studies), Yeslie Barrios '23 (Spanish & Portuguese, Latin American, Latinx & Caribbean studies) and Shannon Foster ’25 (psychology, health studies). Mireille Rebeiz, associate professor of French and women’s, gender & sexuality studies, is the faculty advisor. Ruth Morban Mora ’24 (international business & management) oversaw the summit’s social media presence, and Aretha Chin ’24 (anthropology) and Rokiatou Kaba ’23 (educational studies, health studies) collaborated on workshop ideas.
Throughout the weekend, students and alumnae shared strategies for success in internships and careers, tips on how to navigate predominately white spaces and to identify and reframe feelings around microaggressions. They also explored the importance of creativity as an identity outlet, discussed spiritual growth and had conversations on how to create and maintain strong allyships with men of color and other groups.
Ally Day is a time for Dickinsonians who do not identify as women of color to come to the summit and learn how to be effective allies. President John E. Jones III '77, P'11, (center) attended this year's Ally Day. Photo by Dan Loh.
During the Sunday sessions, men of color were invited to explore how they could advocate for and partner with women of color. All Dickinsonians were also invited to learn how to move past performative allyship and good intent and make a meaningful impact through consistent, daily action in collaboration with women of color at Dickinson and beyond.
“I am thankful for all the people who registered and attended the summit this year,” says Boswell, who marks her second year on the summit’s planning committee and her first as an executive member. She hopes to see still more allies register for future summits. “We hope that everyone who showed up learned more about their sense of self in relation to Dickinson and beyond. I also hope that people in attendance were able to network with older women of color and create connections that will help them once they move on from campus.”
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Published March 6, 2023