Our Past Events

SOCIO HISTORICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING OUR HAIR-STORIES ACROSS PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS
Interrogating Black Women’s Natural Hair: Trauma, Tresses & Truth Conference

August 10, 2024
Natural hair, whether in the form of braids, afros, dreadlocks, or other natural styles, has always been political. Who in our society gets to author the prevailing constitution of professional appearance? How do we, as Black women (and Black men) encourage course correction and alter the prism through which our hair is interrogated? This session aims to situate the fact that, despite structural denials to the contrary, our natural hair remains a heretical war zone. Dr. Stephens presentation specifically focuses on the socio historical factors that inform Black women's hair experiences in the workplace- including the differential emotional, economic, health and educational costs.

DECONSTRUCTING THE IVORY TOWER: CENTERING BLACK WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES IN PSYCHOLOGY COURSES
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Annual Conference

American Psychological Association: Division 9.
June 22, 2024, Philadelphia, PA
Developing concrete steps for integrating the psychology of Black womanhood through the curriculum is critical for supporting one of the largest populations on campuses today- Black women. Through the use of the Psychology of Black Womanhood textbook, Drs. Danielle Dickens and Dionne Stephens highlighted how instructors can address this void in knowledge and teaching pedagogy. Beyond simply providing a rationale for integrating this specific book this interactive discussion provided a space to discuss gaps in teaching knowledge, and varied pedogeological approaches that can be used in diverse course offerings. Finally, they presented applied assignments, and discussed how to implement support resources for faculty lacking expertise on these areas.

RESEARCHING OUR "REAL LIVES": CONSIDERATIONS FOR BLACK WOMEN CONDUCTING BEAUTY & BODY IMAGE RESEARCH
Africa & African Diaspora Studies Graduate Student Speakers Series

April 15, 2024 at Florida International University

Psychological research has typically prioritized majority populations' outcomes, using these results as the norm against which Black women and other marginalized populations are compared. FIU Professor of Psychology and author of The Psychology of Black Womanhood, Dr. Stephens discussed the unique issues that inform research examining Black women's beauty and body images. Using an intersectional lens, she outlined the ways in which this work is nuanced and embedded in socio- historical realities that must be assessed beyond typical psychological quantitative approaches. 
 

REIMAGINING LIBERATION: PSYCHOLOGY OF BLACK WOMANHOOD & IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH PRACTICE AND POLICY
JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences Annual Conference

February 9, 2024 at the National University. Virtual

Dr. Danielle Dickens was the invited keynote speaker for the annual JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences Virtual Student Research Conference at National University. Spelman College Associate Professor of Psychology and author of The Psychology of Black Womanhood, Dr, Dickens addressed
 

BLACK BARBIE: BEAUTY STANDARDS AND CHILD'S PLAY
Black Beauty as an Act of Resistance Community Conversation

January 25, 2024 at the Historic Dunn's Josephine Hotel. Miami, FL 

This event dove into the captivating world of Black Beauty as an act of resistance in our special event series, focusing on Black Barbies and challenging beauty standards during childhood play. In collaboration with FIU Professor and author of The Psychology of Black Womanhood, Dionne Stephens, and the insightful contributions of Imani Warren, artist, and curator, this talk paid homage to the groundbreaking Sunlight School of Beauty Culture in Miami and Black beauty culture for women in the Magic City. 

Sponsored by the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab (WPHL) and Florida Humanities Program 

ONE MILLION BLACK WOMEN
The Power of Advocacy in Atlanta

January 10, 2024 at Penthouse 10. Atlanta, GA

Dr. Danielle Dickens, Spelman College Associate Professor of Psychology and author of The Psychology of Black Womanhood, was an invited panelist for the Goldman Sachs Power of Advocacy event in Atlanta. She shared the stage with Goldman Sachs Managing Director Joyce Brayboy and Occupational Therapist Dr. Normanie Ricks. This event is part of Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women project which include the seminal Black Womenomics report detailing the dual disproportionate racial and gender gaps Black women have faced for decades. This event attracted political, social and community leaders from across the State of Georgia to discuss next steps for empowering Black women.

Sponsored by Goldman Sachs 

CENTERING OURSELVES
Psychology Textbooks by and about BIPOC Lived Experiences

June 26, 2023 at the SPSSI Annual Conference. Denver, CO

Reading books by Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) authors is especially important in a world where the voices of scholars from these communities have historically been excluded from mainstream media and publishing. This symposium was presented at the American Psychological Association Division 9: Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) annual conference. The first presentation examined this phenomenon by first reviewing the applicability of this trend across psychology textbooks, then highlighting two current efforts to in response to this void- the forthcoming the Psychology of Black Womanhood (Dickens & Stephens) and LatinX Psychology in the United States (Rios & Marino).