ASWAD Conference Activities

Round out your ASWAD experience with these community-centered engagements designed to inspire, ground, and connect us beyond the formal program.

Leadership Breakfast Conversation with Kristy Farewell (Founder and CEO, Kairos Insights) and Kia Caldwell (President, ASWAD)

Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 8:30 am - 10:00 am

Location: Landmark 3, Marriott St. Louis Grand

Please Note: Space is limited, so please RSVP below.

Description: "Leadership in Times of Challenge and Change" - When disruption becomes the norm, culture becomes the anchor. Kairos Insights CEO and organizational leadership expert, Kristy Farewell, joins ASWAD President, Dr. Kia Lilly Caldwell, for a candid conversation about how leaders across academia can sustain purpose, trust, and alignment amid uncertainty. Together, they’ll explore how culture shapes an institution’s capacity to adapt—and how leaders can reimagine the way people, processes, systems, and structures come together to support change.

Join this conversation to reflect, learn, and exchange practical insights on leading organizational culture change with clarity, courage, and care in a time when both challenge and possibility coexist.

To RSVP, Click Here

Sunrise Yoga & Meditation

Dates: Thursday, October 30, 2025 | Friday, October 31, 2025 | Saturday, November 1, 2025

Description: Begin your day with gentle, friendly movement and guided breath work led by The Oxygen Project: Yoga for Youth. There will be low-impact sequences suitable for all levels. No prior experience required. Come as you are. Each session will include 30 - 45 minutes of slow, accessible movement and 10 minutes of meditation. Mats will be provided. Chairs will also be available. Please register by clicking on the dates above for the sessions that you are interested in attending.

Panel Discussion

Title: Leading and Advocating in Black Studies: A Workshop for Current and Future Black Studies Chairs and Program Directors

Workshop Organizer: Yolanda Covington-Ward, Chair, W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies, UMass Amherst

Date: Friday, October 31, 2025 | 3:20 pm - 4:50 pm

Room: Westmoreland-Kingsbury

Description: This hands-on workshop will focus on outlining some of the shared challenges we face, identifying specific issues germane to your own units, and highlighting strategies for advocating for Black Studies departments and units both within your universities and larger communities. We may also tailor the workshop to address particular questions that registrants submit on the form.

To Register Click Here

Black Studies Leadership Networking Reception

Date: Friday, October 31, 2025 | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: NW Coffee Roasting Co. (Black-Owned) | 4251 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108

Description: Join us for an evening of conversation and community at this gathering of colleagues in leadership roles across programs, departments, centers, and other institutional contexts. Enjoy food, drinks, and dialogue while building relationships, exchanging insights, and strengthening networks that support faculty, Black Studies programs, and advance the study of Africa and the African diaspora. Complimentary refreshments will be provided while supplies last, with additional items available for purchase. Please RSVP using this form to reserve your spot.