“It’s all a valid experience,” Smith says. “[Women of color] are everyone!”
Smith, who started her career as the assistant to the president of Spelman in 1975, says that while the conference has experienced great success, organizers are being challenged by the numbers. College administrators don’t want the conference to get so big that it becomes more of a symbol than a vehicle for change. Smith says she also wants the conference to be more inclusive. The vast majority of conference attendees were African-American, but Smith says she wants to see growth among other women of color, specifically American Indians.
“We are after a specific result,” Smith says. “We want women and men to leave this conference with a unique set of skills for building bridges.”
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
