WHAT IS WILD?
The Women*s Initiative for Leadership Development (or WILD) is a student leadership conference facilitated by an incredible committee of engaged students in collaboration with the office of Women*s Student Services and Women*s Council at Michigan State University.
The vision of WILD is to connect, engage, and prepare individuals and groups at MSU and beyond to be agents of social change on campus, in the community, and for broader society.
The Women*s Initiative for Leadership Development (WILD) Conference will be held at the MSU Union on Saturday, November 6, 2021. All Spartans who are interested in gender equity, empowerment, and leadership development are encouraged to attend!
Mikki Kendall is a writer, diversity consultant, and occasional feminist, whose work has appeared in TIME, the New York Times, The Guardian, the Washington Post, Essence, Vogue, The Boston Globe, NBC, and elsewhere.
An accomplished public speaker, she has discussed race, feminism, violence in Chicago, tech, pop culture, and social media on The Daily Show, MSNBC, NPR, Al Jazeera's The Listening Post, BBC's Women's Hour, and Huffington Post Live, as well as at universities across the country.
She is the author of the New York Times-bestselling HOOD FEMINISM (recipient of the Chicago Review of Books Award and named a best book of the year by BBC, Bustle, and TIME). She is also the author of AMAZONS, ABOLITIONISTS, AND ACTIVISTS, a graphic novel illustrated by A. D’Amico. In 2017, she was awarded Best Food Essay from the Association of Food Journalists for her essay on hot sauce, Jim Crow, and Beyoncé.
A veteran, Mikki Kendall lives in Chicago with her family.
ANNOUNCING OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER!
ANNOUNCING OUR student KEYNOTE SPEAKER!
Danielle is a senior at Michigan State University studying political science, with a focus on political philosophy, and a minor in African and African American studies. A recipient of the Michigan State University Diversity Torch award and a student of Oxford University’s summer legal program, Danielle is passionate about social justice and change. Though she finds much joy in her part time work helping to educate school children, she is currently headed to law school, pursuing a path which leads to legal advocacy work. Danielle hopes to one day have a career rooted in serving the voiceless and hopes to dedicate her life’s work to inspiring others to be the best versions of themselves.
IDENTITY
We recognize and celebrate the various identities that make up the Spartan community and beyond. Whether those identities are based on race, gender, sexuality, religion, or nationality, we amplify the voices of the marginalized and celebrate our community.
INTERSECTIONALITY
Through an intersectional mindset, we intend to explore how interconnected societal systems have shaped our experiences. With this in mind, we seek to build coalition and camaraderie within our Spartan community.
INDIVISIBILITY
We understand and celebrate the things that make us different from one another but also believe that our shared liberation is bound together in love.
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
We are deeply grateful for the financial and in-kind support we've received from the following groups, departments, and units. THANK YOU for supporting WILD 2021!
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