BLACK EXCELLENCE CONFERENCE
Celebrating Excellence, Empowering Futures
About the Conference
The Black Excellence Conference is an empowering and transformative event that provides unparalleled value by celebrating the exceptional achievements of Black scholars and professionals. Initiated through collaboration with the Doctoral Life Design Studio, the Whiting School of Engineering, and with the Office of the Provost as a partner, this conference serves as a unique platform for engagement, learning, and meaningful community-building among Black Doctoral students & Postdocs.
Our 2024 Conference theme
Empowering Our Legacy, Building Bridges for Future Generations
Empowering Our Legacy, Building Bridges for Future Generations honors the rich history of Black excellence and sets the stage for future progress. This theme celebrates the resilience and achievements of those who paved the way, inspiring us to continue their legacy by nurturing future leaders. It calls for sharing wisdom, fostering connections, and building an intergenerational network that strengthens the present and lays the foundation for the future. By bridging past accomplishments with future aspirations, we create a lasting impact that uplifts communities and drives progress for generations.
12.06.2024
113, W. University
Parkway
At the Imagine
Center
Bailey Holmes Spencer
Belinda Archibong
James Calvin
Ciara Flowers
Ellesse Roselee
Brittni Moore
Morning Session
9:30am-10:00am | Breakfast (Light Fare)
Start your day with a light breakfast and network with fellow attendees as we prepare for a day of meaningful dialogue and community building.
10:00am-10:30am | Opening Remarks
Kick off the conference with welcoming remarks that set the tone for a day dedicated to empowerment, growth, and shared experiences.
10:30am-11:30am | Work Life Integration: Protecting Your Boundaries and Your Peace
Dr. Shewanee Howard-Baptiste & Dr. Carlitta M. Moore from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education will share actionable strategies for maintaining wellness and work-life boundaries in the workplace.
11:30am-12:15pm | Constructing Our Future: Black Faculty Experience
Dr. James Calvin, Dr. Belinda Archibong, Dr. Bisi Bell and Dr. Ellesse-Roselee Akré from Carey Business School, SAIS, WSE and BSPH respectively, share their journeys, highlighting their experiences of Black Excellence and key skills needed to thrive as Black faculty.
12:15pm-12:30pm | Coffee Break
Take a moment to recharge and connect with peers during a brief intermission.
12:30pm-1:00pm | Spoken Word Performance by Baltimore Artist, Kondwani
Spoken Word Performance by Baltimore Artist, Kondwani Fidel
1:00pm-2:00pm | Lunch
Enjoy lunch while continuing conversations with peers and speakers.
Noah Barnes
Muyinatu Bell
Samanda Robinson
Travis Brady
Tye Chicha
Tiffany Wright
Afternoon Session
2:00pm-3:00pm | Keynote | Power, Persistence, and Progress: The Legacy of Black Civil Rights Advocacy
Former White House attourney and Deputy General Counsel for Johns Hopkins University Tiffany Wright will share her insights on how we can effectively challenege new forms of systemic inequities and advocate for a more just society.
3:00pm-3:50pm | Fortifying Our Present: Current Student Perspective Panel
Noah Barnes (WSE), Tye Chicha (KSAS), Bailey Holmes Spencer (BSPH), and Travis Brady (SOM) discuss their experiences at Hopkins, community values, and key lessons from their doctoral journeys.
3:50pm-4:00pm | Coffee Break
Refresh and regroup before the next session.
4:00pm-5:00pm | Community Building Activity
Participate in an engaging activity designed to strengthen connections and foster a sense of belonging among attendees.
5:00pm-5:30pm | Stack Your Money Challenge
Wealth coach and Finentity, LLC Founder Ciara Flowers leads attendees through her “Stack Your Money Challenge,” sharing how she paid off $41k in 3 years and guiding others to become financial achievers.
5:30pm-6:20pm | Bridges To Our Past: Doctoral Alumni Experience Panel
Drew Grant (WSE), Samanda Robinson (KSAS), and Brittni Moore (SOM) reflect on their experiences as Black doctoral students, changes at the university, and the impact on their careers.
6:30pm-8:00pm | Reception with Black Doctoral Alumni
Close the day with a networking reception celebrating Black graduate alumni working in a variety of fields, including Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Northrop Grumman, Blackbird Laboratories, the FDA, and more.
Our 2024 Keynote
Tiffany R. Wright joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel as Deputy General Counsel in May 2023. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Ms. Wright served as Associate Counsel to the President in the Office of the White House Counsel. In that position, she provided strategic and legal advice to the President, Vice President, and senior White House advisors on a wide array of legal issues, including Title IX, gender and LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive rights, clemency, and religious liberty.
Prior to her White House service, Ms. Wright directed the Civil Rights Clinic at the Howard University School of Law, and practiced in the Supreme Court and Appellate practices at two international law firms. She served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge David S. Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Royce C. Lamberth on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Ms. Wright earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center, and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland at College Park. Ms. Wright’s life and work have been profiled by the Washington Post, C-SPAN, USA Today, Reuters, and national podcasts.
Special Guest Performance and Q&A
Kondwani Fidel and his poetry have become one in the same. The passion Fidel brings to his work has taken the Baltimore native around the globe to confront education reform, civil rights, and growing up in an underserved community. Fidel has captivated audiences at conferences, literary events, and has lectured and taught classes at the University of East London while touring in the United Kingdom. Fidel was recently featured on Tamron Hall Show where he discussed his work, and how it relates to a young poet that NPR labels “one of the nations smartest young Black voices.” Fidel’s lyrical poetry has been featured in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, The Root, The Independent, Mic, and Baltimore Sun along with his inspiring narratives for brands such as Under Armour. His viral essay, “How a Young Boy has Been Decaying in Baltimore Since Age 10: A Death Note”, cemented Fidel as an authority in his city. In 2018, The Baltimore Sun honored Fidel in its heralded ‘Best of Baltimore’ issue for his courage, innovative thinking, and leadership in local schools and communities.
Fidel’s work has been praised by literary and civil rights giants such as Ibram X. Kendi, Eve L. Ewing, and DeRay McKesson. Fidel is the author of The Anti-Racist: How to Start the Conversation and Take Action (2020), Hummingbirds in the Trenches and Raw Wounds. He received his BA in English from Virginia State University, and his MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. Fidel was honored with the Baltimore City 2018 Civil Rights Literary Award, Inspiring Voices award, and his bio-film Hummingbirds in The Trenches was nominated for Amazon’s 2019 All Voices Film Festival.
Alumni Networking Reception
Our distinguished alumni guests come from diverse backgrounds, showcasing their significant contributions across various fields. Represented sectors and organizations include:
Healthcare and Public Health: Professionals from the FDA, NIH, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, holding senior roles such as directors, senior biologists, and health equity researchers.
Higher Education and Academia: Faculty members and emeritus professors from universities such as Morgan State University, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Arkansas State University.
Consulting and Research: Alumni working in roles at independent consulting firms and research institutions, managing positions like Managing Director and Principal Deputy Director.
Corporate and Industry: Leaders from companies like Moderna, Coursera, and Blackbird Laboratories serving as vice presidents, directors, and content strategy managers.
Entrepreneurship and Art: Founders, CEOs, and independent consultants contributing to public health initiatives, arts, and cultural projects.
Logistical Details
Location of the Conference
113, W. University Parkway, Baltimore, MD, 21218
Parking
Parking lot at the Imagine Center is restricted to special permits. There is street parking available ($0.50/hour) on University Parkway in front and near the Imagine Center.
JHU Shuttles
You can take the Homewood-Peabody-JHMI shuttle and get off at stop #8 (Interfaith Center). The Imagine Center is a 8-min walk from Interfaith Center. You can also see real time information on the shuttles here: JHU Shuttles