GLOW Career & Empowerment Conference

The best professional improv comedians don’t “wing it.” They practice a highly-refined system of observing, connecting and responding.It’s how they swiftly and seamlessly work with their team to engage audiences.With only seconds to prepare, they use these skills to create an environment where everyone is welcome and valued.This system can be your best advantage.Come ready to laugh and learn valuable leadership, communication and relationship building tools in this fun & interactive workshop taught by CSz Boston owner and 18-year professional improviser and teacher, Courtney Pong. Get ready to elevate how you impact a room, from speeches to storytelling, and all of the unexpected in-between.

Given a recent report that showed that black women are 80 percent more likely to change her natural hair to accommodate social norms rooted in white culture, and are 50 percent more likely to be sent home or know of a black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair, this is a true game-changer. Currently only two states recognize and protect against hair discrimination, which is directly related to race. My presentation will focus on the recently passed laws, how hair plays into professionalism and affect diversity, retention, and inclusion. It will also highlight how other can help create a more diverse workplace and how to advocate for for others.

Conversation circles are your opportunity to connect with other conference attendees informally and with a theme expert to guide the conversation.
Our theme expert, Ankita, will lead us through the conversation. This is your chance to process learning, connect with other attendees who are interested in the topic of Diversity and Inclusion, and share ideas and resources during our virtual events.
We hope that you will join us as a chance to strengthen your network, share goals, and connect with a local expert. We also hope that these conversations will help us identify great ideas for future sessions with GLOW!

We encourage folks to share what they are hearing during the day, and folks are welcome to join to chat or listen.

I will share my personal journey in the corporate, higher education, technology and non-profit sectors and discuss the lack of diversity in these spaces inspired me to create an inclusive and empowering space for women of color to share knowledge, professional workshops and support  -- Women With Purpose. I will provide resources on how to manage up, create and develop ERGs at the workplace, develop a business case for diversity as well as how to advocate for yourself if you face discrimination or harassment in the workplace. I will break the presentation up into groups and provide prompts for discussing unconscious biases, micro-aggressions and intersectionality in the workplace.