UMatters

[The following was provided by the Office of Public Relations.]

The Women of Color Leadership Conference - “Recognizing Our Strengths: Constructing Our Reality” - provides empowerment opportunities for women and high school girls of color, promoting equity education and professional development.

On Thursday, May 10, the High School Connection begins 8:15 a.m. Poet Mayda del Valle - 2011 National Poetry Slam Individual Champion - will give the keynote address at 12:45 p.m. Approximately 400 girls are expected to attend the event. del Valle also will address the conference attendees at 8:45 a.m. on Friday, May 11. For additional details about the H.S. Connection, visit here.

On Friday, May 11, the Women of Color Leadership Conference, is 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registration and vendor showcase begins at 8, and workshops begin at 9:25 a.m.

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, professor of law at UCLA and Columbia Law Schools and leading authority on civil rights, will speak at 6 p.m. Williams Crenshaw also is an expert on black feminist legal theory, and race, racism and the law. Her articles have appeared in the Harvard Law Review, National Black Law Journal and Southern California Law Review. A specialist on race and gender equality, she has facilitated workshops for human rights activities in Brazil and India and for constitutional court judges in South Africa.

Erika Rameriz will give the lunchtime lecture at 1:15 p.m. Rameriz is the diversity and inclusion coordinator and human resources manager for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City where she works to coordinate efforts that support the Bank’s diversity strategy.

The events are free and open to the public; however, registration is required. Both events will be held in the Student Union, 5100 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. For a schedule of conference events, view WOC.