Excluded to EmPOWERed (Youth & Adults - Educators and Youth Advocates)

Rasheda Kamaria Williams, author of "Be EmPOWERed: How to Live Above & Beyond Life's Drama" is a survivor of bullying.

Once teased and ostracized by classmates for being weird and different, Rasheda found a way to embrace and ultimately celebrate her “weirdness.” In 2011, Rasheda shared her story in Cosmopolitan magazine in the article “Being Bullied Changed My Life.” Her experience as an adolescent motivated her to launch Empowered Flower Girl just a year prior in 2010.

This talk explores her journey from excluded to emPOWERed and how she got there with help from trusted adults, mentors, friends and ultimately herself.

Mentoring Makes a Difference (Adults)

One in three young people grow up without a mentor. This means we have an opportunity to reach and impact millions of children across the country (and around the world).

Mentoring has the potential to profoundly transform the lives of young people in our communities. By providing guidance and support, mentors are able to open up new opportunities and broaden horizons for their mentees. However, despite this potential, mentors are still urgently needed in many areas across the country.

Learn how local and national organizations are garnering the attention of young people and how you can be the change.

AmaZing: How Generation Z is Inspiring Change (Youth & Young Adults)

There are young people in our communities and around the world tackling issues and championing causes - from gender equality to climate change. Although it's our job as adults to pave the way and ultimately solve these problems, it is the dedication and commitment of 21st century teens that's truly making a difference.

Learn about opportunities and support available to fund and fuel your passion to create lasting change.

Mentoring Girls & Inspiring Sisterhood (Women/Female-Identifying Individuals)

Interactive and entertaining, Mentoring Girls and Inspiring Sisterhood promotes the value and benefits of role modeling and one-on-one mentoring as tools to combat relational aggression and encourage positive relationships among girls and young women in the age of bad girls, housewives and frenemies. We explore how adolescent development plays a key role in socialization and examine the role of popular media in shaping girls’ and women’s relationship realities.

This session provides attendees with the skills, tools and knowledge necessary to become effective mentors and role models for girls/young women and gender-expansive youth. Attendees also learn how intergenerational empathy and understanding are key to supporting and empower 21st century children and teens to reach their full potential.