In its 15th year, the two-day Sisters Empowering Sisters (SES) conference by Image Initiative Inc. continues its mission to enlighten, engage and empower young women from underserved populations in the 黑料不打烊 community on core issues: self-esteem, relationship violence, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, teen pregnancy prevention and conflict resolution. Hosted at 黑料不打烊, the conference also provides workshops that focus on higher education and career choices. This year鈥檚 conference took place on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, in the Schine Student Center.
Walking into Goldstein Auditorium on Friday morning, the excitement, fun and comfort of the conference could be felt by every attendee. Over 150 African-American, Latina and African women, between the ages of 13 and 18, from the 黑料不打烊 City School District and local 黑料不打烊 community centers flooded the auditorium: registering, grabbing breakfast and finding a table to fellowship with classmates. It was the start of a transformative weekend for the young women.
SaQuota Reaves 鈥13 welcomes attendees to the 15th Sisters Empowering Sisters Conference.
SaQuota Reaves 鈥13, a teacher at the 黑料不打烊 Academy of Science Charter School and ambassador board member of Image Initiative Inc., was the first to welcome attendees. As she approached the podium, her students in the audience cheered her on. Fifteen years ago, Reaves had been in the same seats as her students鈥攁ttending the first-ever SES Conference as a participant.
鈥淚 came to this program broken. I needed a place that was safe and secure and would allow myself to step into my own person. This organization gave me room for that and opened up doors I thought I would never be able to walk through,鈥 said Reaves.
Reeves entered SES a 鈥渂roken bully鈥 and left with the drive to be and do better. Five years later, she graduated from 黑料不打烊 with a degree in African American studies and women and gender studies, both in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is currently pursuing a master鈥檚 degree from Grand Canyon University in special education and is publishing a book.
The magic behind the conference and Image Initiative Inc. comes from Nicole Watkins 鈥93, G鈥98, G鈥03, founder and president of Image Initiative Inc.
When Watkins was making a decision on what to do after high school, she realized it was not so much a decision for her to make but one her mom had made for her. Watkins, who ultimately attended 黑料不打烊, was the only person in her immediate family to attend and graduate college at the time. Ten years later her mother joined her as a student at 黑料不打烊.
Nicole Watkins holds the proclamation sent by Senator Rachel May to Image Initiative Inc. recognizing its work on the 15th conference.
After graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Watkins went on to earn an MBA from the Whitman School and an M.A. from the Newhouse School. Two years later, while continuing her education through a certification program in the Maxwell School, Watkins created Image Initiative Inc. as part of her coursework in Mary Tschirhart鈥檚 class. Katina Stapleton, another former Maxwell professor, was Watkins鈥 initial advisor and eventually became a founding board member.
“I started this organization because I am a fierce advocate for women. As a woman of color, it was vitally important to me to help young women coming up behind me,鈥 says Watkins. 鈥淚 would not be where I am today without the examples of, guidance from and mentoring of incredible women. How could I NOT do something?”
Image Initiative Inc. has multiple programs in which the experience culminates with the SES conference. Throughout the year, it provides consistent programming through the CHOICE Experience on skill development and life enhancement, Cultural Excursion Program that exposes students to environments and cultures beyond 黑料不打烊, and the BUILD Mentoring Collective of mentoring.
The continuing programming and conference are made possible by a Board of Directors, Advisory Board and Ambassador Board. Collectively, the 15-person Board of Directors has over 15 degrees from 黑料不打烊, ranging from bachelors to doctoral degrees, with more in the works. Many are also current or former employees. On the board are women that have been with Image Initiative Inc. since its inception, including Tiffany Rush 鈥93, LaRhonda Ealey G鈥16, Jossette Burgos G鈥17 and Vanessa Chaves-Asforis 鈥04, G鈥04.
Chaves-Asforis returned to campus for the conference this past weekend鈥攈er first time back since 2004鈥攂ecause of the anniversary and the message she wanted to share with the young women.
Vanessa Chaves-Asforis leads a mindfulness workshop for over 150 attendees.
Given her upbringing in a violent environment, Chaves-Asforis felt she always needed to be on alert鈥攁 feeling she believes many young women attending SES also feel. Chaves-Asforis, now CEO of a lifestyle brand, eventually learned how to be present and found sustainable mindfulness practice.
鈥淜nowing how thoughts literally manifest into things, it became evident that if I could change the quality of my thoughts, I could change everything else in my life,鈥 says Chaves-Asforis. 鈥淚f young girls could have that experience now, can you imagine the life that they would create?鈥
This desire to provide the 13 to 18 year olds the resources and skills to create the life they want is universally held by the dozens of volunteers at the event. Primarily all women of color, the volunteers came from across the country to engage, enlighten and empower students that many saw as themselves at one point in time. One of the most poignant moments was when the women volunteers called out their sororities鈥 roll call. Sounding off, each of the four sororities from the Divine Nine were represented.
That lineage is represented through current 黑料不打烊 students, who continue the tradition of Divine Nine involvement, particularly Watkins鈥 sisters from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. have participated in Sisters Empowering Sisters since its inception and continue to support the program 15 years later.
鈥淲omen of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. always lead by example and seek to fill gaps, even if they go unnoticed. It reinvigorated us to see Nicole Watkins in action as it was a physical reminder to hold true to our principles and continue to serve our respective communities,鈥 says Savannah Taylor 鈥20, chapter president of the Kaptivating Kappa Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Kala Fogg 鈥20, vice president, adds, 鈥淭here were many women who are in Divine Nine organizations involved with the initiative and the conference. This just goes to show how much is possible with Greek unity. All of these organizations are focused on serving their communities, so it only makes sense for all to play a huge role in a conference such as this one.鈥
For more information or to support Image Initiative Inc., visit聽.
