It’s Women’s History Month, and student-led organizations are hosting a Women of Color (WOC) Conference to empower girls and give them the tools they need to express their voices. 

The Conference – organized by Dear Asian Youth, Zenerations, Diversify Our Narrative, and Afro Puff Chronicles – takes place on March 20th and 21st on Crowdcast, an online server. The conference consists of seven different panels: Politics, STEM, Business, Activism, Film, Performing Arts, and Media. 

Each panel consists of several different speakers who will discuss ways for girls to succeed in each field. Such speakers include Linda Soursour, Jocelyn Yow, Marina A. Torres, Sydney Park, and many other prominent female leaders of color. During each panel, attendees will have the opportunity to ask direct questions to the panelists. 

“We reached out to more than 200 speakers. Because we couldn’t offer speaker fees because we were all youth organizations with little to no funding, outreach to speakers proved difficult at first, though it all worked out in the end! Speakers were selected based on their level of experience in their respective industries, as well as their willingness and passion to guide girls of color to a brighter future,” said Tesoro student Stephanie Hu, Co-Executive Director and Co-Founder of the WOC Conference.

Attendees can pick which panels they would like to go to. Each panel takes place at a different time on either the 20th or 21st for an hour and fifteen minutes. See the schedule to confer times. 

The conference also offers mentorships and scholarships after the conference to individuals seeking help to plan their future in a specific field. In order to qualify for the mentorships and scholarships, applicants need to have attended at least two of the panels, reside in the United States, and be between 14 and 23 years of age. 

The conference is centered around women of color, but allies are also invited. It’s important that influential women have the opportunity to speak and be heard by everyone. 

“This is an amazing learning opportunity to all, not only girls of color. Women of color’s stories have often been suppressed or overshadowed — this conference is an opportunity for them to finally share their experiences and pass their wisdom on to the next generation of girls of color,” said Hu. 

To register, visit the Women of Color Conference website. Registration is free and will give you access to the event page, including the polls, chat, and Q+A. The Crowdcast link to access the conference is attached in the comprehensive guide publicized by the organizers.