The Table: An Open Discussion Around Creating Your Own Table

BTSU 316

In this presentation, participants will reflect on ways Black women are overlooked at the table and share ways to create their own. Two contributors of the book, "The Table: Stories From Black Women in Student Affairs", will share their journey to creating their own table that they share in community with other Black women. Instead of waiting for a seat at a table where we would have to compromise our stories or have them told by those who have not walked our paths, we decided to build our own table and invited some of our sisters to sit with us and indulge in its spread. The interactive workshop session will be split into three segments: 1) Participants will quietly reflect on reasons why "the table" is so important to their success, self confidence, and validation. Following reflection time, participants will share the weight of their "table" and what it means to them to have a seat or create their own table. 2) Participants will then share in groups of two at least one example when they felt overlooked or disempowered. The think-pair-share should include the emotional reaction that the experience left on their work, their confidence, etc. 3)Participants will brainstorm ways that they can create their own table. This exercise will allow participants to recognize ways that their past experiences could have ended differently and how that knowledge can be applied to future interactions. Ultimately, the goal is to process ways that they can create a table for themselves and for other Black women.