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www.spelmanspotlight.com
April 3, 2007
Toni Cade confer
ence successful
The 7th annual Toni Cade confer
ence entitled “The Politics of
Global Sisterhood: 360 of Power”
was held March 23-24.
P2
Disney debuts
new Dlack
princess
Disney finally announces they
have a black princess slated for
the release in 2009.
P3
Spelman College
celebrates 126th
Founder’s Day
Spelman Spotlight pays tribute to
the 126th Founder’s Day.
P4-P5
R.J. Reyonlds announces new cig
arette Camel 9 aimed at women.
The cigarette has a black and pick
packaging aimed at catching
women's’ eyes.
P7
Spring sports
wrap up
Sports writer Lauren Harpergives
a play by play for the tennis and
softball teams.
P8
Spelman hosts first annual Student
Leadership Conference
Dominique Dawns address audience at conference
Kirby Araya
Features Editor
“With all my heart and
soul, I believe that since
Spelman students were
involved in the Civil Rights
movement in the '60s, there
has not been another opportu
nity before this one which was
a salvation for social change,”
said Dr. Jane Smith, the exec
utive director for the Center
for Leadership & Civic
Engagement.
Dr. Smith stated that at the
ending of the very first
Women of Color Student
Leadership Conference on the
weekend of Mar. 31-Apr. 1
hosted at Spelman College.
The conference's purpose was
to unite women in a support
ive atmosphere to discuss the
importance of the leadership
role of women today.
Started as an innovative
idea to strengthen leadership
among women, the confer
ence blossomed into a success
ful event which attracted stu
dents from all over
the country from
schools such as
Fisk University
and Barnard
College at
Columbia g,
University. <
“I was really 2
impressed with £
the women at ^
Spelman. I think
what they are doing is
amazing from the
ground up. The con
ference was student-
run, and it was great
coming to another
women's college. I really feel
being at an all women's col
lege is cool because of the sol
idarity between women,” said
Lida Derosa, a first-year urban
studies/political at Barnard
College.
On Saturday, after the main
keynote speaker Dr. Isolde
Brielmaier, an art professor
from Vassar College, spoke
about the essential need for
leadership among women of
color, the delegates had the
choice to attend workshops.
The following workshops
included Diversity and
Leadership, Women and
Health, Women Ethics and
Morals, and Women and Life
Choices to recognize the
importance of having a posi
tive well-being when becom
ing a leader in the community.
The networking lunch was
highlighted with a speech by
Dominique Dawns, the first
African-American gymnast to
win an Olympic gold medal,
who now has become an
active inspirational speaker.
After the luncheon, the dele
gates were able to hear the sto
ries of five focused women
see Conference on Pg 2 »>
doing a year from now, and
Terricha Bradley
News Writer
The student leadership con
ference continued with lunch
featuring speaker Dominique
Dawns, three-time Olympic
gymnast, and a couch chat
with female leaders of color in
the corporate world. These
two events encouraged stu- m
dent leaders to recognize the >-
similarities and differences *
between women of color and °
bridge the gaps in their com
munities.
In the June Gary Hopps
Atrium on March 31, confer
ence attendees listened to a
speech by Dawns on leader
ship and what it means to
envision a future that involves
values, inspiration, and self
esteem. Dawns, an 18-year
gymnast and coach, began her
speech by saying, “Before we
are a leader to others, we have
to be a leader to ourselves,”
and introduced her theme,
“ENVISION.” She asked the
audience to close their eyes
and envision what they will be
explained the acronym.
Dawns encouraged the
audience to Expand their
experiences, Need a plan, rec
ognize Values, have an
Inspiration, overcome
Setbacks and obstacles, Inspire
others, take Opportunities
and Never give up envisioning
more. In this world, strength
ening self-esteem and elimi
nating self-doubt are key to
reaching success, in addition
to finding one's passion in life.
“My hardest obstacle was
self-esteem,” said Dawns.
“When I was younger, I did
not think that I was enough.
I grew up in a tough home
environment, I experienced
self-doubt and now I am ful
filled as a grown woman.”
She also charged the audience
to create a plan, network with
their peers and manage time
wisely.
Glenda Smiley, sophomore
from Barnard College, attend
ed the conference and enjoyed
the workshops. Her favorite
speakers were Isolde
Brielmaier-a contemporary
artist and guest professor at
Columbia University-and
Dominique Dawns.
“The diversity and leader
ship workshops were great for
developing a foundation for
women of color to talk and
have open, unbiased
exchanges in a respectful way,”
she said.
Following the luncheon was
a couch chat in the Cosby
Auditorium with moderator,
senior Barbara Furlow, and
Mae Cheng, journalist for
Newsday; Amoi Geter,
account executive in media
relations for Southern
Company; Gabriela
Velasquez-Orner, Assistant
Vice President of a business
management group for Merril
Lynch; and Griselda
Marmolejos, Senior Financial
Analyst for Russel
Corporation. All panelists are
women ol color in the corpo
rate world who discussed how
the bridge between women of
see Dawns on Pg 7 »>