Atlanta hosted the annual Black Girls Dream Conference over the weekend, drawing a crowd of more than 1,300 people from 13 states. The Atlanta Marriott Marquis set the stage for this year's theme, Afrofuturism. A slew of panels covered a range of topics, including technology, artificial intelligence, coding, and robotics, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The conference, which was sold out over a month ahead of time, saw girls and women ranging in age from 12 years and upward coming together from various organizations across the South. Among the speakers was Dr. Bernice King, who, in a statement obtained by Atlanta News First, emphasized that she sees herself "as a person that has to set an example for a world where there's very few examples of what it means to be a dignified person."
Dr. King, also elaborated on her views on nonviolence, explaining it as not merely physical but "a spiritual thing and a mindset." The sense of community and empowerment was evident, with attendees feeling represented and supported in a positive atmosphere of networking and exchange. One participant shared with FOX 5 Atlanta, the importance of seeing "everyone together for positive reasons, laughing, talking, and networking."
Malikah Berry Rogers, the executive director of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium who put on the event, believes in openly celebrating southern Black girl identity. According to Atlanta News First, Rogers stated, "We don't shy away from who we are and how we look. It's our asset, it's everything that we bring here." She also hopes the event will help to fully inspire and pave a future where the girls know "that they're not dependent on anyone else but their own spirit imagination and dreams."
Beyond the headline speeches, the workshop agendas included talks on mental wellness, social justice, and financial literacy. Janelle Floyd, who flew in from Fort Lauderdale, expressed to Atlanta News First the value of being around successful Black women who "have no problem unapologetically being themselves." With such inspiration, the conference strives to foster confidence in young Black girls and empower them to take their rightful space in society.
