Umoja Conference 2024 - Call for Proposals

Proposal Submissions
The purpose of the proposal submission process is to identify presenters with interest, passion, and expertise on a selected topic. All proposals will be evaluated by our program committee based on content, level of engagement, and relevancy to one of the Indaba strands. Proposal submissions will only be accepted by submitting through this link.

Submission Deadline: Proposals are due no later than Friday, September 4, 2024.
Notification: Those submitting proposals will be notified by Monday, September 23rd , 2024 regarding the status of their proposal.
Acceptance: Presenters must accept via email by September 30th, 2024
Final Presentation (All materials, links, etc.) Due: Monday, October 28, 2024

Questions: For questions regarding the proposal submission process, please contact umojaconference2024@umojacommunity.org.

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* 1. Lead presenter name

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* 2. Lead presenter biographical information that briefly highlights their expertise. For Student Scholars, share biographical information that highlight academic and career successes and aspirations

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* 3. Company/college affiliation

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* 4. Contact information (email and telephone)

Telephone

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* 5. Select one Indaba Strand that is aligned to your proposed topic

Elevating the Power of Education:
Umoja aims to dispel myths about Black scholarship by employing cultural imperatives that emphasize excellence through African-centered practices. This cultural safety net provides a foundation that students should be using to excel. Elevating the Power of Education workshops should tap into the voices of the African diaspora to highlight the ways in which Black individuals' multifaceted identities, experiences, and intellect can be utilized to inform our understanding of our own experiences.

Indabas examples include:
Methods incorporating African-centered practices into curricula and teaching strategies
Creating and implementing support systems that embrace and uplift the diverse experiences and identities of Black students.
Best practices for developing cultural safety nets on campus.
Highlight key Black figures and their work and discuss how their scholarship informs current educational practices.
Teach students how to utilize Afrocentric research methods to explore and address issues relevant to the Black diaspora.
Explore the concept of Afrofuturism and its application in educational contexts.

Liberating Students to Mobilize:
The Umoja Community provides robust leadership and training opportunities for our students. The student leaders within the Umoja Community consistently spearhead a diverse array of initiatives and activities aimed at building community and fostering student success on their campuses. These indabas will highlight the development of student leaders and the impactful strategies they are employing to effect change on their campus and in their communities.

Indabas examples include:
Teaching practical leadership skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and project management
Developing and implementing peer mentorship programs where experienced students guide and support their peers.
Encouraging students to create and lead their own initiatives or clubs, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Building Community Partnerships such as collaborations between students and local organizations for mutual benefit.
Workshops on leadership skills, public speaking, and effective communication.
Case studies and success stories of student leaders making a difference on campus and in their communities.

Fostering Excellence and Success in All Areas of Life:
Umoja programming is holistic and designed to prepare students for success in all areas of life. Today, education and careers are critical to individual success. Balancing the strong demand on time for these two leaves little time for health and wellnesswellness, which is also important. Addressing all these needs is especially critical considering the current political and social climate. Presenters in these sessions will discuss the various facets of academic, mental, and social wellness and success.

Indabas examples include:
Preparing students for professional success through workshops on resume building, interviewing, and networking.
Sessions on self-care, mental health, and work-life balance.
Teaching students about financial literacy including, budgeting, saving, and managing finances
Best practices for practitioners
Career success

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* 6. Select your Session Type. (The presenter can determine the presentation format; however, we encourage you to choose a presentation that engages and educates the participants. We are accepting proposals in the formats below)

90-minutes Interactive Indaba. Bring on the evidence-based findings and the transformational programming ideas! The 75 minutes interactive workshop should be layered with engagement and information, and the content should have key takeaways that participants can apply to their own context and setting.

60-minutes Critical Idea Talks. Critically examine and deliberate on pathways to emancipatory education. Share your findings in a brief yet powerful and creative presentation that inspires and transforms.

Umoja Student Scholars Only - 30-minutes Share outs. The 30-minute engaging talks should inform and provide reflections on your academic, professional, or community-based participation and how it has/will impact your goals.

Umoja Student Scholars Only - Community Poster Session. Do you have an idea or research topic you want to present to the community for feedback or exploration? Share your voice in a brief yet powerful and creative poster presentation that inspires and transforms.

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* 7. Keywords/tag (select up to 3 keywords that provide further description about your topic)

Best practices for practitioners

Community Building and Engagement

Academic Success

Transfer

Cultural Identity Development

Financial Literacy

Health and Wellness

Retention

Transfer Success

Student, Activism, Leadership, or Agency

Professional Development

Strategic Partnerships/Relationships

STEM/STEAM

Curriculum/Learning Experience

Career Exploration

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Presentation Title (should excite and inspire the audience in under 15 words)

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* 9. Session Description: (maximum 300 words) that includes a short statement on how your session is aligned to the Umoja Practices Read the Umoja Practices.

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* 10. List 2 key learning objectives: What will the audience earn? How will they be transformed?

Learning Objective 1

Learning Objective 2

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* 11. Describe the student participation: How will you engage students in your session?

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* 12. Summarize the qualitative and/or quantitative data that informs and supports your presentation?

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* 13. Additional presenters' name, emails, and company/college affiliation. For Student Scholars Track provide mentor/Jegna Information

Presenter 1

Presenter 2

Presenter 3