(Blog post by Kathleen Soldati in Stay Work Play New Hampshire.) 

While the 14th Annual Black New England Conference (September 25 – 26, 2020) entitled Black Women Rock: Leading the Charge for Social and Political Change is chock full of incredible speakers ranging from US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley to Essence Emerita Editor in Chief Susan L. Taylor, on the extraordinarily prescient topic of leadership of Black Women, it is the closing panel (9/26/2020 1:15 – 2:30pm) that should send us off with homework! Entitled, Moving it Forward: the Next Generation of Black Female Activists, moderator Victoria Adewumi (Board Member, Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success), will be speaking with UNH scholar, Julian Maduro, and two NH Black Lives Matter activists, Ronelle Tshiela and Tanisha Johnson.A little background – Julian Maduro ‘21, is a McNair Scholar and a recipient of the Alice Marguerite Mitchell scholarship, in English and Justice Studies at UNH. Ronelle Tshiela is co-founder of Black Lives Matter Manchester and a student at UNH. An activist since her high school years, Ronelle has recently been appointed as a public member to Governor Chris Sununu’s state-level Commission on Law Enforcement, Accountability, Community, and Transparency. Tanisha Johnson of Exeter is a nonprofit manager, and mother of a 14 year old daughter and eight year old son. A powerful advocate for empowering Black lives, she recently co-founded the Black Lives Matters Seacoast chapter and serves on the Racial Unity Team Board and is Program Chair for the organization.

Black Heritage Trail NH (BHTNH) Executive Director JerriAnne Boggis, sets the stage:

Young Black women leaders inherit a rich legacy of struggle, innovation, and pioneering thought from generations of courageous Black women. They also face unprecedented challenges of climate change, a global pandemic, and massive student loan debt–as well as opportunities, including a groundswell of support for defunding police and abolishing prison systems that disproportionately harm Black Americans. Look for reflections on activism from these young Black women advancing environmental, racial and gender justice in the midst of widespread political, social and economic upheaval.”

As the closing panel of a stimulating weekend conference, Victoria Adewumi will take all that has been discussed, and lead Julian Maduro, Ronelle Tshiela and Tanisha Johnson through a conversation about where to go from here. It promises to be one of the best panels of the weekend – not to be missed!

About the Black New England Conference

Leadership of Black Women is the focus of the two day 14th Annual Black New England Conference, entitled Black Women Rock: Leading the Charge for Social and Political Change, Friday and Saturday September 25 & 26, 2020. The conference, presented each fall by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, combines the scholarship of an academic conference and the joyfulness of celebrating Black life and history. For the first time, it will be presented virtually and produced in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. Register here.

About The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

A 501c3 nonprofit founded to promote awareness and appreciation of African American history and life in order to build more inclusive communities today. It presents signature events – Spring Symposium, Sankofa Summer Walking Tours, Juneteenth Celebration, Frederick Douglass Community Readings, Black New England Conference each fall, and Winter Tea Talks. With recent events, this mission is more important now than ever. For more information, please call 603-570-8469 or visit their website.

About the Author

Strategic thinker, executive, mentor, teacher and published author, Kathleen has produced national and international events for Nelson Mandela and Jane Goodall, obtained coverage in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The David Letterman Show, managed marketing for The Music Hall, and served as executive director for the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and Portsmouth Historical Society. She currently works as Marketing Strategist for CrossCurrent Communications.