PWR
Our theme for this year is PWR, short for “Power”. As young women of color, the political sphere is not only intimidating in terms of representation, but has the potential for immense and harmful impacts on our lives moving forward. PWR is about combating this system by educating ourselves while learning and actively seeking out opportunities for activism. Specifically, our conference aims to give us the skillset to stay educated and maintain a voice in the world of politics that often feels completely out of our reach. With our bodily autonomy under attack and the future of our country often feeling like it’s moving backwards, now is the time to act.
OUR KEYNOTE
Lateefah Simon is a nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and racial justice in Oakland and the Bay Area. She has served as President of Akonadi Foundation since 2016. That same year—driven by Oscar Grant's death—she was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors as President. She was elected to a second term in November 2020. Since 2015, Lateefah also has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the California State University, the nation's largest public university system, and state officials often turn to her for strategic advice on policy matters related to racial justice. In 2022 Akonadi Foundation welcomed Lateefah Simon to the Board of Directors as she transitioned from President of Akonadi to lead Meadow Fund. Lateefah spearheaded San Francisco's first reentry anti-recidivism youth services division under the then-District Attorney Kamala Harris leadership. Lateefah received the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Award in 2003, making her the youngest woman to receive the award —in recognition of her work as Executive Director of the Young Women's Freedom Center.
