By Heather Nulf, Marketing & Design Student
Dear Cyclones,
We haven’t had the time to catch up in forever! I have been swamped the last two years trying to get an AAS Degree in Marketing and Design, tutoring at TRIO, attending club meetings, and occasionally writing a juicy social media post for the SCTCC social medias.
When I am not running around campus like my head is cut off, I like to make the most of all the opportunities I can on campus. I was walking down the hallway when Njeri Clement stopped me to discuss an incredible opportunity she thought I would be interested in. Njeri offered me a slot in the scholarship students she planned on sending to the 2023 Power in Diversity and Leadership Conference.
I was a little hesitant when I received the offer - it sounded like an amazing opportunity and something I would be interested in, but with my full schedule, I have a hard time committing long periods of time to anything other than homework. After a few days of consideration, I decided that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me - and it was free!
The event started on Thursday Jan. 26, and I luckily roped in a few of my friends who were also interested in the conference to attend with me. On Thursday I arrived at SCSU and checked into the event and received a T-shirt, badge, and brochure that contained the schedule/ workshops offered.
After check-in, we were encouraged to head to the basement of the Atwood building to bowl, ping pong, and play pool. I tried my luck at ping pong and lost 0-10 against my friend Cassie Provo. We decided after our game of ping pong to head to Applebee’s for half-price appetizers, and after that, I headed back home because we were going to have an early day tomorrow.
Friday started promptly at 8 am with breakfast where I enjoyed a cinnamon bagel with orange juice. After breakfast on Friday, we dove into the first guest speaker, Jeffery Magee, who is currently a senior program manager at Amazon. This was the perfect speaker to start with. He was motivating the crowd through his topics of crafting a path of success through showing responsibility, connections, and showing up.
After our breakfast guest speaker, the crowd was advised to attend one of three workshop sessions. I attended “Feminist Leadership: Being Grounded Amidst Change” hosted by Beth Berila. This was an empowering workshop where we practiced re-centering ourselves while we push toward the slow nature of structural change of social justice in our country.
After this influential workshop, I was feeling empowered, and with empowerment comes hunger, so I was glad lunch was to follow. The food at this event was delicious! I was surprised by how flavorful every meal was although they had to make mass quantities in order to feed everyone at the event.
For lunch I enjoyed curry-style chicken and vegetables with naan and a side of rice, no crumbs left behind. While lunch was wrapping up, we listened to Samantha Lopez and Kristine Frey from Travelers EDGE talk about empowering dreams, especially when it comes to graduation and employment.
During the afternoon, St. Cloud State was also offering a job fair that the people at the Power and Diversity Conference were able to attend. During the job fair, I picked up all types of cool swag, while also getting to network with possible potential clients.
When I had enough of intense social interaction, I decided to hop into The Power of Identity Workshop hosted by Jehana Schwandt. This was by far one of my favorite workshops. The group of us who attended was small which allowed for an intimate experience.
Jehana helped me understand that although I am caucasian, I still experience my own culture. Although culture can stem from ancestral traditions, it can also stem from traditions and values you personally practice.
By 3 PM we were starting our first Peace and Justice Badge Training, and the whole audience was introduced to strategies for trauma awareness and resilience. This also included training for cultural competence, racial healing and equity trauma-informed care for all.
Once the first session of training was completed it was time for dinner, which again was delicious. They served chicken tacos that filled me up but didn’t weigh me down. This was important when it came to the next keynote speaker Sandra Augustine, who excited the crowd with her positive energy and interactive presentation. Sandra ended the night with a large group of charades which had me falling to the floor laughing.
This wrapped up day two of the conference, and afterward, people had the option to attend the Masquerade Ball, attend a movie at the SCSU theater, play rounds of bowling or pool, and even partake in Karaoke. I sadly had no energy left in me to attend the Friday night conference entertainment but heard that it was a ton of fun for the people who went. Being a night owl like I am, I have to be mindful of how late I stay up when trying to wake up the next morning.
Saturday was the final day of the conference, which started beautifully with fresh fruit, French toast, and eggs. After breakfast, Finn McGarrity was the morning keynote speaker. During this, he reflected on his experiences in climate change, social justice, politics, and life experiences.
Finn shared that it took him 10 years to complete college, and he was on academic probation five times, but he kept pushing toward the degree. When Finn graduated he found a job and a love for politics and encouraged the community to build themselves up.
Saturday’s conference only ran till 3 PM, when people had the opportunity to attend the rest of the Peace and Justice Badge trainings or attend other workshops. I decided to continue with my Peace and Justice Badge training, and I am so glad I did! I learned the basics of restorative justice, which is an amazing skill to be used in the justice system and I wish was practiced more.
You may be wondering, “Heather what in the world is restorative justice?” Well, I am so glad you didn’t ask because I am going to tell you anyway.
Restorative justice is a justice method that allows the victim and the offender to come together in conversation to meet the needs of whatever the two parties are requesting. It can be a great alternative to immediate incarceration.
During the break, we enjoyed a filling lunch of fried chicken and the best mashed potatoes I have ever had in my life (which is not being dramatic because I do not like mashed potatoes).
The day wrapped up with our last Peace and Justice Badge training, where we learned the importance of talking circles in academic, family, and business settings.
The community connections I built during this workshop were lifelong. I met new friends who attend various colleges across Minnesota as well and deepened my connections to other students at SCTCC.
The Power in Diversity and Leadership Conference was one of my favorite events I attended throughout my college career, I would encourage every student to attend at least once. I cannot wait to go back next year!