Now more than ever we need to build and refine our leadership skills to impact social change. The Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development invites you to participate in the 2017 WesLead Conference, Saturday, February 18th. WesLead is an annual conference aimed at providing participants with the tools and skills needed to continue to influence their communities. This year’s theme is “Ignite Leadership. Influence Change”.
Local activists and community organizers will be sharing their stories and information about how to take action. Our opening keynote speaker is class of 2005 Alum, Melissa Rosario, who has established a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico called CEPA. Our closing keynote speaker is former Wesleyan Professor, Clemmie Harris.
The conference will also feature a workshop from Climbing PoeTree, which is the combined force of two boundary-breaking soul sisters who have sharpened their art as a tool for popular education, community organizing, and personal transformation. Alixa and Naima interweave spoken word, hip hop, and award-winning multimedia theater to expose injustice, channel hope into vision, and make a better future visible, immediate, and irresistible. With flawless cadence and impeccable lyricism, Alixa and Naima weave together their voices to tell powerful stories of love and liberation, state and personal violence, social, environmental, racial, and sexual justice, woman’s empowerment, and human transcendence. Check out their video here! Climbing PoeTree will also perform at 7pm in the Ring Family Performing Arts Hall.
Those who attend the conference will receive a complimentary ticket to the show. Registration is FREE and open to the first 100 students – breakfast and lunch will be provided. We hope you can join us for what we believe will be an inspiring and transformative day!