W+GRA Leadership Café

The 2024 W+GRA Leadership Café was a resounding success, with over 250 women and girls gathering to learn, share, and connect. Our day began with inspiring opening remarks from Chancellor Dr. Sharon Gaber, who encouraged each participant to dream big and reminded them that UNC Charlotte is the place where those dreams can flourish.

Ohavia Phillips captured hearts and minds with a powerful talk about the realities and dangers of social media while reminding every girl in the room just how remarkable they are. She urged them to never give up on themselves—a message that resonated deeply throughout the Café.

Thanks to our co-sponsors, Women’s Inter-Cultural Exchange. They trained the table conversation leaders before the event, outlined how the day would proceed, and encouraged participation in a way that made everyone feel comfortable. The focus of the 2024 Café was social media, online safety, and its impact on girls. Participants reflected on their feelings and imagined how they would create safe digital spaces of their own.

Lunch was highlighted by UNC Charlotte sophomore Zoe Brown, who shared how her leadership experience at the American Association of University Women’s summer conference transformed her confidence and expanded her circle of friends and mentors.

A special interactive moment came with Luvvie Ajayi-Jones’ Oriki poem exercise, where participants wrote empowering words to remind themselves of their worth and talents, even on tough days.

The Café closed with a burst of social media energy as attendees used a custom IG filter created for the event to share their experiences far and wide. Special thanks go to the UrbanCORE and Urban Institute teams for their incredible support and dedication, making this Café our most memorable yet!