Conference offered tools, inspiration for future changemakers

On the day before International Women's Day, King's hosted the ChangeMaker Conference, organized by students in the Gender and Women in Civic Leadership course and designed to inspire and empower young women and non-binary high school students to become leaders in their communities.

The conference featured three interactive sessions, each offering networking opportunities and discussions on critical topics such as empowerment, representation, diversity, systems of power, and community-building. By fostering meaningful dialogue, the event aimed to provide attendees with the tools and skills necessary to drive real, positive change in their communities.

Organizers worked to make the conference more interactive with fun quizzes and activities. “Additionally, we highlighted how collaboration and a variety of skills and strengths are crucial for gendered leadership in turbulent times,” says Andrea Smith, fourth-year Social Justice & Peace Studies (SJPS) and Politics & International Relations (PIR) student and a member the team organizing the conference.

“The Changemaker Conference is designed to empower women and non-binary individuals to recognize and unlock their leadership potential. Too often, women and gender-diverse people are overlooked as leaders, and our goal is to shift that narrative. By hosting this event the day before International Women’s Day, we not only celebrated the incredible women leaders who have paved the way towards gender equality, but also inspired the next generation of changemakers to step into their power and create lasting impact,” says Smith.

For the students organizing the event, the experience was transformative. Emma Weir, a third-year Politics and International Relations student, shared how working alongside Dr. Jacquetta Newman, Professor of PIR, Shawna Lewkowitz, Lecturer of SJPS, and her peers has reinforced her belief in the power of collective action.

“Each week, our female-led team came together to plan a conference designed to empower and support our attendees, continually reinforcing my belief in the incredible strength women possess when united in pursuit of meaningful change,” says Weir.

Alaina Field, a fourth-year SJPS and Childhood and Youth Studies (CYS) student, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing how the initiative has enriched her experience at King’s. “These experiences have been invaluable in shaping my understanding of leadership and collaboration,” she says.

Both Weir and Field were eager to see the impact of the conference on participants.

“I was excited to engage with our attendees, offering them the tools and inspiration they need to lead with confidence, and to remind them of the vast opportunities they have to shape the future as female leaders in any field,” says Weir.

Field adds, “I hope the conference will inspire and empower future changemakers to take active roles in advocating for positive change within their communities. By engaging with diverse perspectives and ideas, I believe participants will be equipped to drive meaningful action and contribute to lasting social change.”

Gender and Women in Civic Leadership is a Politics and International Relations experiential learning course which offers a unique experience for women and gender non-conforming students to learn about, and become engaged in, civic leadership and community-building. The students meet, network, and work with women-identifying civic leaders, gain insight into the opportunities and barriers facing women in politics, and examine how women’s leadership derives from their purposeful pursuit in advocating and making change in and for their communities.

By creating a safe and inclusive space, King’s and the ChangeMaker Conference are committed to inspiring the next generation of leaders who will champion diversity, inclusion, and equity in their communities.