Eleversity

Daily schedule

8:50 a.m. zoom room opens

9 a.m. opening remarks

9:15 a.m. keynote

9:50 a.m. panel

10:30-11:30 a.m.  – Workshop breakouts (three options)

*** Please plan for 9am-12pm EST

July 20, 2023

KEYNOTE:

Jamiris Stephens –

Jamiris Stephens is an accomplished professional, a certified program manager, and a passionate life coach dedicated to empowering women to unlock their purpose and achieve soul success.  With a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University at Albany, Jamiris combines her educational background with her extensive experience in program management (at Google, Meta and YouTube) and coaching to make a positive impact in the lives of others.

As a certified program manager through the Program Management Institute, Jamiris possesses a deep understanding of effective project management methodologies and strategies.  Her expertise allows her to guide individuals and organizations towards success by providing valuable insights, creating efficient processes, and ensuring the achievement of project goals.

However, Jamiris’s true passion lies in empowering women.  Through her work as a certified life coach, she offers personalized 1:1 coaching sessions, providing guidance and support to help women identify their purpose and tap into their full potential.  Her compassionate and empathetic approach creates a safe space for clients to explore their goals, overcome obstacles, and embrace personal growth.

In addition to individual coaching, Jamiris also hosts transformative retreats and seminars.  These immersive experiences offer women the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, engage in deep self-reflection, and develop practical strategies for personal and professional success.  Through these gatherings, Jamiris fosters a supportive community where women can learn from each other, share their stories, and build lifelong friendships.

With a strong believe in the power of purpose and self-discover, Jamiris is committed to helping women unleash their inner strength and create fulfilling lives.  Her unique blend of academic knowledge, professional experience, and personal passion makes her an invaluable resource for those seeking guidance and transformation.

Whether it’s through her coaching sessions, retreats, or seminars, Jamiris Stephens continues to inspire and empower women to embrace their true potential, unlock their purpose, and achieve soul success.

Topic:  Commitment to Pushing the Needle Forward – 

Owning Your Growth: You are worth the investment –Presented by:  Ebony Burgess     

• Do you feel stagnant in your career?  Are you looking to grow professionally and feel you have limited to no opportunities? Do you hesitate to apply for promotions because you believe you don’t have the skillsets or qualifications to apply for the job?  If you answered yes to these questions, this workshop is for you!  Have you ever heard the saying “if you’re not growing, you’re dying”?  It sounds dramatic, but whoever initially said it had a point.  YOU are responsible for your professional development and OWNING your GROWTH opportunities.  The objective of this workshop is 1. Define career growth and professional development.  There’s a differnce between the two, but they go hand in hand. 2. Learn the different types of career growth opportunities and how to tap into those opportunities. 3. Learn how to create career growth and development opportunities with your manager.  Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are essential!  Plan your work, and work your plan. 4. Learn how to work on your career growth.  You are worth the investment!  Join us and learn and GROW!

You Are the Expert: Adding the voices of Women of Color to the chat on the evening news -Presented by:  Elaine Houston

• “The news media often looks for”experts” to bring context to important and challenging stories. But the voices of women of color are not on the expert  list. Why?Objectives: 1. To help participants see themselves as experts in their field and capable of giving voice to tough issues, happening in their communities and to their people. 2.To explain the steps necessary to get on television. The ‘How to’s’ of actually making it on camera. 3.To detail how to get your point across in a concise , impassioned and effective way so you are invited to the expert table again and again.

Modern Marianismo – Presented by:  Dr. Damary M. Bonilla-Rodriguez

• According to APA Dictionary of Psychology, “In many Latin American or Hispanic cultures, ‘marianismo’ culture encapsulates an idealized traditional feminine gender role characterized by submissiveness, selflessness, chastity, hyper-femininity, and the acceptance of machismo in males.” Many have internalized and behave according to these gender role expectations; we see it displayed by women from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. In Modern Marianismo, you can adopt the nuances that resonate for you while also taking on visible leadership roles and behaviors not traditionally associated with female expectations; this notion says that you can be the caregiver for loved ones and change the world!

July 27, 2023

KEYNOTE:

Cherriese Bufis-Scott –

 Cherriese has made her presence known and sits at multiple tables advocating for children of different abilities, children of color, the Muslim community, and fathers.  As a devoted wife and mother of five,she understands

the importance of advocating for families and the impact that it can have on the community as a whole. Her work in parent family advocacy and leadership has been instrumental in helping families navigate the challenges that they face in today’s world.

Cherriese is also the Program Director at The Greater New York Revitalization, a non-profit organization that focuses on deterring gun violence, workforce development, and trauma-informed mentorship. This organization has made a significant impact on the lives of many individuals in the community. Under Cherriese’s leadership, the organization has been able to provide support to those who need it most.

In addition to her work at The Greater New York Revitalization, Cherriese is also the Founder of Diverse Mosaic. This is a social-emotional learning tool that promotes leadership skills with an African-centeredness. Her passion for this project is personal, as she understands the importance of providing children with a sense of cultural identity and pride. This project has been instrumental in helping children to develop a sense of self-worth and to become leaders in their own right.

Cherriese’s work is rooted in her personal experiences. As a former foster child, she understands the challenges that children face in the system. She has also seen firsthand the impact of special needs and systemic and structural racism within the school system. These experiences have fueled her passion for advocacy work and have driven her to make a difference in the lives of others.

Despite her busy schedule, Cherriese always finds time to give back to her community. She is involved in various humanitarian efforts alongside her family and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Her dedication to her work and her community is an inspiration to many and has made a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals.

Presented by Sara Taylor and Dr. Karen King

– Authentic Allies: Let us help you understand the A in Authentic 

• This interactive workshop where they will be unpacking the systems that underpin and frame allyship efforts and how these systems inhibit and stall authentic collaboration and real systems change.  This workshop will: Advance opportunities to engage in critical conversations about necessary systems change and the strategies needed to address these challenges.

Presented by:  Dr. Latise Hairston

• Sister to Sister: Harvesting our healing and connecting to our deep rootsAs Women of Color, we are “othered” by multiple systems of oppression. How do we heal collectively and support each other in our workplaces and communities? How do we dispel the myth that women don’t support each other? Inherent in our culture is the concept of ‘Ubuntu’: a person is a person through other persons. This means we are bound up and can be human only together through sisterhood.In this session, we will:Discuss how our history and the trauma of imposter syndrome impact our personal and professional lives.Explore how to create a “Culture of Healing” through our interdependence and interconnection.Share stories and examples of what it means to live into ‘Ubuntu’ sisterhood.Presented by: Tomicka Wagstaff and Stephanie Paredes –Setting our Own Agendas: Embracing as Woman of Color –
• Are you a woman of color feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of society to fit in and conform?  Do you wish you had the tools to set your owen agenda, live authentically and make empowered decisions to reach your goals?  Join us for a workshop on Setting Our Own Agendas:  Embracing Authenticity as a Woman of Color.  In this interactive workshop you will. 1. Examine the effects of societal pressures on women of color. 2. Learn tools to increase self-awarenes and self-esteem. 3. Explore how to make empowered decisions that align with your values and goals. 3. Create actionable plans to help you live authentically.  Through this workshop, you will gain a better understanding of who you are and how to use that knowledge to live an empowered and authentic life.  Get ready to start setting your own agenda!

July 27 – post summit – virtual table talk 11:40am – 12:30pm

Chocolate Mindfulness experience to decrease stress and increase mindfulness –Presented by:  Melissa Muller

Do you struggle with managing your stress at work and at home?  Are you feeling unappreciated in your current role, leading to exhaustion when the workday ends? Join the CEO of MYRetreat, Inc., Melissa Muller-Douglas, for a Chocalate Mindfulness experience to decrease stress and increase mindfulness.  Try what thousands of leaders from entities including American Express, MIT, YMCA, and Ronald McDonald House, have already experienced.  Through experiential learning, you’ll set your intention for how you want to be/feel, pause for The Body Scan, enjoy Guided Imagery, and taste chocolate mindfully using all of your senses.  The benefits of this wellness workshop include: 1. Reconnecting with yourself. 2. Identifying clear intentions. 3. Becoming re-energized.

August 3, 2023

KEYNOTE:

Dr. Edith M. Williams –

Dr. Edith Williams is founding director has been named for the new Founding Director of Office of Health Equity Research, which is housed in the University of Rochester Clinical and Translational Science Institute and is a crucial part of the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan.

A Rochester native, Williams began her journey with health equity research while earning a doctorate in Epidemiology and Community Health at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Having grown up in the comforts of suburban Henrietta, she was shocked by the inequities she noticed in Buffalo. Her master’s thesis highlighted the lack of access to fresh, healthy foods in communities with mostly Black residents and led to a grant to set up a community garden and to distribute food from the garden to local residents and food pantries.

For her doctoral research, Williams shifted her focus to lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that disproportionately impacts Black women. Her community-based participatory research in this area included lengthy interviews with patients that moved her to devote her research career to understanding this disease in hopes of improving patients’ lives.

Putting others first is second nature to Williams. As a faculty member at the Medical University of South Carolina, she drove all over South Carolina to collect specimens from lupus patients to reduce the burden of participating in her study. She is also accustomed to working with many partners and stakeholders across sectors and disciplines. Working with partners at historically Black colleges and universities, she developed a pipeline program to mentor HBCU students and to provide them a path into MUSC’s Public Health program.

A key piece of the fifth pillar of the URMC Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan, the goal of the Office of Health Equity Research is to increase capacity to conduct health equity research across the medical center. The office, with Williams at the helm, will bring people together across research and clinical enterprises and the broader community to develop a learning health system – integrating community-engaged research to inform and improve equitable care for all.

As director of the Office of Health Equity Research, Williams will sit on the Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan’s Health Equity Steering Committee and will work closely with the all of the plan’s task forces. She will also serve as a central resource for all URMC departments, maintaining strong connections to help them develop their own health equity research projects and to encourage that all research be viewed through a health equity lens.

Coach, Mentor, or Sponsor: Which is best for you  Presented by:  Dr. Kim McKinsey-Mabry

• Have you been told you could benefit from having a coach, mentor, or sponsor? There are clear distinctions between each and they can play a critical role in our career development and advancement. Understanding each role and recognizing who you have in your life (or who is missing) is important and here is why…Women of color lag behind men and White women in leadership positions across most industries, leaving us significantly underrepresented at the executive level. In 2021, women of color comprised just 13 percent of C-suite roles nationally. While the representation of women in the workplace has improved since the pandemic, according to a 2021 study (McKinsey & Company), we continue to be promoted at lower rates than men. Why? Research indicates women, especially women of color, often lack professional development opportunities, career guidance and support, and have little access to networking opportunities that lead to career advancement.During this reflective workshop, you will: 1. Learn about the role of a coach, mentor, and sponsor. 2. Reflect on your career goals and determine which relationships(s) you could benefit from in order to achieve your desired career goals. 3. Create a plan of action.

Amplifying Your Personal & Professional Brand Presented by:  Kilolo Moyo-White

• “Amplify your personal and professional Brand:  Understanding and leveraging your power” Understanding the interrelationship with your personal and professional brand is key to leveraging your power to determine your output in the workplace.  Join this interactive workshop to identify the essential components to leveraging your power in the workplace while amplifying your own value proposition within the work you do daily.  The objectives of this workshop are” 1. Identify the difference between a personal and personal brand image.  2. Learn how to use emotional intelligence as a strategic tool to amplify personal and professional brand image.  3. Engage in reflective discourse to minimize workplace pitfalls and professional sabotage.

Emotional Self-Care at Work for Black Women – Myth or reality-Presented by:  Dr. Nadjete Natchaba and Pascale Noel

• Self-care has become the top recommendation for addressing stress. You have probably been told you must take time for yourself and engage in activities that bring you joy. Great! What happens when you can’t shut off the incident that occurred at work that keeps playing in your head? Or that meeting where you felt you should have said something but didn’t? When did you last express your feelings at work in ways that honor your whole being? Do you even allow yourself to feel or name what you are feeling?Emotional self-care is the ability to identify what you are feeling and permit yourself to feel those feelings in ways that honor you. Can Black women afford emotional self-care at work? Black women are conscious of the various stigmas attached to their identity. Unfortunately, they may have internalized those narratives, making emotional self-care at work very scary and dangerous. What are the alternatives for Black Women?During this reflective workshop, you will:
  1. learn about the importance of emotional self-care
  2. Reflect on your emotional self-care at work
  3. Discuss strategies to identify steps to decolonize Emotional Self-Care at work.