A Black Woman’s Disguise Volume 50: Empowering Leaders, Cultivating Minds
Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 10:54PM 
(Left) Me and Dawn Yerger CEO of Nappturalite Radio
The Empowering and Cultivating Emerging Leaders conference was held today at the Purdue University Memorial Union to promote men and women of color and their leadership. Various sessions on leadership, keynote speakers and a team of student leaders put together an amazing conference that brought forth a sound understanding of what it means to cultivate minds and empower students to fight for their education, family, politics and most importantly themselves.
Today is worth writing about. Much of my blog responses have focused on specific topics relative to my emotions and personal critiques of the world I live in. Today, I witnessed many men and women of color come together to learn about leadership. What does it mean to be a leader many asked during the Empowering and Cultivating Emerging Leaders conference held at Purdue University? These students inspire me because they critiqued, conversed, and discussed the meaning of leadership with a keen interest in being a changer of their world. At this moment, much of the older generation has criticized our generation for not utilizing our unique skills within various leadership opportunities in the political, economic and social sectors. But today, I beg to differ on the criticisms and will say that student leaders are listening and wanting to lead, but today is a different day and our politics have changed, but nevertheless still stay the same. 92 students (majority freshman) joined the struggle and committed themselves to empowering others and leading succeeding students that will come after them.
I will end with a story that I believe God needed me to hear. As I walked away from an ATM machine, a student that I vaguely recognized whispered, “Are you Ms. Gibson.” I said, “Yes” and listened to the student’s response. After a full day of spearheading a leadership conference for students—I wanted to go home because I was done for the day. The student stopped me in my tracks and said that he really enjoyed a class I taught some years ago and I was the reason why he chose his particular major. More importantly he said that my class provided him with a sound understanding of how to communicate, read and write. Now, in my mind I wanted to cry. Why? Because this students’ words, were words that I never thought I would hear sincerely. Many students have said that my class inspired them, but this student really made me say, “Wow, I shouldn’t quit because students are paying attention.” At one point I rallied back and forth whether teaching was for me partly because preparing lesson plans, being creative and devoting time to students became too much for me to handle. Sometimes I underestimate my ability and how others perceive my teachings. Now, I know that my work and mission is not vain thus I will work harder to understand the perspectives of my students.
This is a thank you to the many students who continue to do great work and inspire me each day when I walk into a classroom. I listen to your thoughts and I speak your words.
Peace
To watch some of the footage of the student leadership conference (click here)
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