Workshops

Overview: 

You are doing amazing things as you step into your unique leadership as a young woman. Doing this work, though, can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. That is why it is so important to find ways to take care of what is most important: YOU!  You are never too young to get focused on what matters to you!  Join us for an Unbothered Retreat, curated especially for ambitious young women like you! During the retreat, you will relax and have fun as you learn about creative ways to practice self-care.

Bio: 

Kandice Cole is a self-care guide, consultant, writer, and the creator of the Unbothered Black Girl Collective. Kandice attended the University of Chicago, earning a B.A in Psychology and M.A Teaching. Throughout her career and entrepreneurial journey, Kandice has experienced exhaustion and burnout. She has become committed to practicing self-care and now helps women and girls create and maintain their own self-care practices. Learn more about her work at kandicecole.com

Overview:

Have an idea that you don’t know how to put to words? Been told you are too young to change your community? Passionate about a movement but don’t know where to start. Alisha Gupta is here to make sure you have the tools and know-how to advocate and pave a way to justice, to bring your community together, and gain the network you need to make a difference. This workshop is focused on building female voices and ensuring they are heard. YOUR opinions matter, YOU are important, and YOU can make the difference we need to see in this world. Come ready to learn the ins and outs as to the ins and outs of listening, learning, and advocating any issue

Bio:

Alisha Gupta is a current student at UT Austin’s Business school, pursuing a degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. She is the CEO and Founder of nonprofit Needed but Forgotten, which leverages excess inventories of suitcases to improve the lives of foster children around California.  Her passion to volunteer and give back also brought her into a position as youth lead for Maitri, holding teen conventions about toxic masculinity, gender inequality, partner violence, and healthy relationships. Her journey as a keynote speaker accelerated from there to launching and hosting her current podcast, What Cause Inspires You. Through the What Cause Inspires You podcast, Alisha leverages her personal experience and leadership to empower student organizations with awareness, connections, and financial resources. The podcast now includes a Professional Perspective series that features the CEO and their insight to youth about social entrepreneurship. Her goal is to connect audience members with our speakers while educating on under-represented issues.

Overview:

This session will provide tools to manage anxiety and build resilience. Covid-19 drastically altered the way we operate­: how we attend school and how we spend quality time with our loved ones (just to name a few!!!). You may feel overwhelmed, stressed, and/or anxious as you navigate school in a virtual setting and if your family dynamics changed. Together, we will address different emotions that may accompany you, as you get settled in this new normal.

Bio:

Heather A. Perkins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker devoted to bringing holistic wellness services to BIPOC communities. She recently co-founded Melanated Wellness, NFP with her best friend Alexis Dillon¬– Melanated Wellness provides psychotherapy and personal training to foster self-discovery and promote self-care to optimize healing from generational trauma. In addition, Heather is a Community Behavioral Health Specialist for Metropolitan Peace Initiative, she provides brief counseling services to families impacted by violence (both victims and “perpetrators”).

Heather is a Chicago native! She obtained a BA from DePaul University where she double-majored in African and Black Diaspora Studies and English. She received her MSW from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family + friends as well as cycling and practicing yoga!

Overview:

Foundational to professional development, students start with an examination of self. Students gain self-awareness and ability to lead themselves and others from a place of authentic leadership. This session is focused on the identification and development of leadership character, core values, and innate talents/ strengths to equip students with tools to take control of their career path and decisions using knowledge of self to steer their ship

Bio:

Talent, leadership, and culture development leader, Candace D. Washington, helping organizations build tools and inclusive cultures that equip emerging leaders to authentically navigate real-world challenges, accelerate performance, and thrive at their highest potential. As a diverse leader, having learned the hard way from years struggling post-undergrad to succeed in the marketplace, Candace teaches skills beyond book smarts pivotal to leadership success like how to build winning relationships, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, effectively communicate, influence up, and cope with culture shock in non-diverse environments, among others. Organizations partner with Pivotal Impact to accelerate the success of emerging leader’s by building capacity for individual and organizational effectiveness. She has lived the lessons she teaches and is committed to demystify the workplace and build cultures that help future leaders navigate smarter, farther, and faster.

When not immersed in her work, Candace loves spending time traveling with friends/ family, connecting with different cultures, mentoring, dancing (although not good at it), and most importantly, playing with her adorable niece and nephew! She lives in and LOVES Chicago! Go BEARS!

Overview:

Understand the power of hello and how it connects to your overall success!   In this session, we will take a look into intentional networking.   Networking, whether you like it or not, is a must in today’s world and it starts at any age.   During our session, you will understand the how important saying hello is, mastering your audience, and formulating your own personal agenda.   This session will give you a look into how to create your own personal and unique brand that starts at HELLO!

Bio:

Laticia Holbert has a unique blend of skills and gifts that lend themselves to training, workforce development, diversity, social justice, and change management. She has been coined by her peers as the connector of people and things.  Laticia is always looking at the big picture, pulling talents and gifts while championing people to live their authentic selves.   Within her 20 years of experience in corporate training, career and professional development planning, championing diversity and inclusion efforts, leading employee resource groups and business development, Laticia is a powerhouse.

Laticia is currently employed at ComEd.  In her role, her main goals are to remove barriers to decrease unemployment and underemployment, and ensure a highly-skilled, diverse workforce for the rapidly transforming industry and region in which we serve. Laticia oversees the ComEd Infrastructure Academy, which includes the CONSTRUCT Program.

Laticia is a graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BA in Economics and a Master in Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Additionally, she has a certificate in Coaching for Employee Engagement.  Servitude is very important to Laticia.  She is an active member of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Incorporated, and Million Women Mentors Steering Committee Member. She is also an Emeritus Ambassador Council member for the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.  Laticia has previously served on Women in Energy Network (WEN) Chicago New Member Onboarding Chair (2018-2019), and board of directors for Foundation College Prep (2016-2018).