Group deepens sense of community after attending 'Journey Within' conference

July 16, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 20)

25 Black women in a restaurant, four are seated, rest are standing in two staggered rows

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.