CONWAY, Ark. (January
31, 2020) — Nationally recognized leaders and scholars will gather at Hendrix
College on March 13, 2020 for the Colorful Women Summit (CWS), which brings
together a statewide coalition of higher education providers and community
organizations to discuss how they can work together to continue to improve the
outcomes and opportunities for women of color in Arkansas.
CWS will be a
one-day experience led by young adults, professionals, and community leaders
who seek to address critical issues affecting women of color and to find
sustainable solutions.
In addition to a
plenary session led by Dr. Angela Webster, associate vice president for institutional
diversity and inclusion at the University of Central Arkansas, CWS will feature roundtable and panel
discussions, health screenings, and student leadership labs. Little Rock-based
digital marketing company Apptegy and the Arkansas Minority Health Commission
will provide support for the event, as will the S.I.S. (Sisters in Solidarity)
group at Hendrix College.
“The Hendrix S.I.S. group is thrilled to host the summit,” said Kesha
Baoua, interim vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer
for the College and a member of the CWS advisory group. “S.I.S. was created
just this year to give young women of color a space to network, support each
other, and to provide community service in areas that affect young women. While
we knew there was some interest in organizing a group like S.I.S., we were
overwhelmed by the student response to join. So, having the opportunity to
learn from the speakers and sessions while networking with other young women
from around Arkansas will provide an invaluable experience for our students.”
Three women with
strong Hendrix College ties are among the presenters: Professor Emerita of
English Dr. Alice Hines, who will receive the Leadership Legacy Award; Dr. Dionne Jackson ’96, who before becoming
executive director of AR Kids Read in 2019 served as the inaugural chief
diversity officer for Hendrix; and Marquita Little Numan ’05, executive director,
Urban League of Arkansas. Other presenters include Sharon Lanier, corporate market
director, American Heart Association; and Mireya Reith, executive director,
Arkansas United Community Coalition.
The summit begins
at 8 a.m. in the Student Life and Technology Center on the Hendrix College
campus. Registration is open through March 2, 2020, and is available at www.ardiversity.org/cws.
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal
arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns
recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges.
Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix
as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876,
Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To
learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.