Oct 29, 2021 4:04 pm

Pierce College students are invited to participate in the EDI CARES Fall Students of Color Empowerment Summit on November 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s theme will focus on Rising through Resilience. This year’s summit will take place in the Pierce College Fort Steilacoom Performance Lounge, and participants have the option of attending in person or virtually through Zoom.  

This year’s summit will focus on building students’ self-efficacy and resiliency skills to navigate systems of oppression, and provide them with opportunities to utilize their voices to effect change and build community. After a challenging year with COVID-19, and continued systemic oppression, the summit will provide an empowering and brave space that equips students with the skills and knowledge to successfully manage life obstacles. 

The event will feature keynote speaker Richard Taylor. Taylor is a dynamic speaker and has been recognized for normalizing the conversation and helping people shift from “talking about mental health” to actually mobilizing in their efforts towards healing and freedom. He has overcome morbid obesity, depression, multiple suicide attempts, failing in college, and domestic abuse—and speaks from a place of empathy, compassion, love and accountability. Taylor is also a TRiO program alum, and praises TRiO programs for being an essential supportive network in helping him persist and thrive in college. Learn more about Richard Taylor. 

Students will have the opportunity to build new relationships, learn about the gifts and wealth that their cultural identities hold and engage in conversations around building resilience, and establishing boundaries with EDI CARES staff and mental health counselors. The event will end with “Village Time” – a session that will provide students the opportunity to process their emotions, debrief about the event, and share their experiences as Pierce College students. 

This event is only open to currently enrolled Pierce College students. If you would like to attend the summit, please email edi@pierce.ctc.edu.