Going to Her Conference was always on my college bucket list. However, due to timing and the COVID-19 pandemic, that dream never came to fruition during my undergraduate career. Granted, I didn’t let that stop me from attending Her Conference 2023 in New York City on June 24, as I believe in the power of divine timing. I was originally hesitant to go, due to no longer being an undergrad, but I knew my younger self would have wanted me to be there. Now I’m so glad I went, and I hope to inspire other women to attend in the future.
I started the day traveling from sunny Central Florida to the concrete jungle that is Brooklyn, New York. Dressing to impress, I also brought a pair of sneakers, a notepad, a pen, and an open mind to embrace the one-day experience. If you weren’t able to make it to Her Conference 2023 and want to know what it was like, from the keynotes to the free stuff, here’s everything I saw and did during the big day.
Morning
Keynote: Leah Thomas
A major component of Her Conference is the keynote speakers, special guests, and panelists. At the first keynote of the day, I learned the importance of taking a leap of faith from activist and ecofeminist Leah Thomas. I personally resonated with Thomas’ keynote, where she spoke about finding her true voice in activism despite being shy and hesitant in public speaking. She encouraged me, and the whole audience, to be authentic in every endeavor to gain more confidence.
Panel: creating Connection & Community in the Digital Age
During this panel, I was able to deeply reflect on the times I felt lonely due to isolation during the pandemic. I was deeply moved by how despite the many barriers in place, Marissa Meizz and Taryn Delanie were able to develop lasting, authentic, and in-person community among their followers through Meizz’s No More Lonely Friends, which joins people together to cultivate friendships, and Delanie’s efforts to eliminate food insecurity in the New York area.
Special Guest: Vivian Tu
Another speaker that deeply resonated with me was Vivian Tu, aka Your Rich BFF. With many schools not having a strong focus on financial education and advice regarding post-grad, it was so helpful to gain feedback from a fellow woman of color in navigating male-dominated fields.
Break: Goodies & Gifts
Another highlight of attending Her Conference was the numerous goodies and gifts participants could grab. When I wasn’t listening to a speaker or panel, I was able to collect the many freebies Her Conference provided, including products from Olly Wellness, Rhythm Care Co., laptop stickers designed by Rachel Motley, Hallmark cards, Living Proof hair care, Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream (and a tumbler for the infused water station), Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars, and beauty products from Lancôme. Vince Camuto even did a powder room takeover inspired by Italy, and gave away free rollerball fragrances. I came back home with so many much-needed necessities.
Additionally, Her Conference was having a Kate Spade New York giveaway where participants could win free bags and wallets by posting photos and videos throughout the day.
Afternoon
Lunch: Networking
Her Conference offered ways to connect with women internationally — people traveled from all over to be able to attend. When there was downtime, I was able to connect with and befriend similar-minded individuals who were also content creators and writers. It was also great to finally put faces to the writers of Her Campus I had only seen online before.
Prior to being a national writer, I was a chapter writer for Her Campus UCF. I vividly being asked remember on my UCF Her Campus chapter application, “Why do you want to join Her Campus?” I answered, “Because I want to be a part of an empowering girl gang.” Seeing so many young women from different social backgrounds and age groups at Her Conference made me see firsthand that there is so much beauty in this diverse and uplifting community.
Break: Activations
An additional highlight of Her Conference was all of the interactive stations. During my free time, I was able to get a custom screen-printed shirt from XOXO with an adorable Her Conference design on it. Additionally, I got my makeup touched up by Lancôme makeup artists and hair redone using Living Proof hair care, received free professional headshots for LinkedIn, and stopped by the Adobe photo station. Lastly, I stopped by the Plan B education station to learn about how to empower myself and care for my sexual health.
Special Guest: Tefi Pessoa
Prior to Her Conference, I will admit I didn’t know much about Tefi Pessoa. Now, though, I’m a huge fan of hers. As someone who stays up to date on celebrities, reality TV, and social media, it was amusing to participate with her in predicting upcoming entertainment news. It was also refreshing to see how confident and unapologetically Tefi was during this segment.
Keynote: Joy Sunday
Wednesday star Joy Sunday was the last keynote of the day, and another one of my favorites. The conversation was so relatable to me: Being socially awkward and reserved, I was afraid of rejection and sometimes internalized it. However, Sunday’s journey to stardom made it clear that she embodies the philosophy that rejection is redirection and protection. Life isn’t linear, and before blessings, there will be lessons, and hearing about how someone else went through similar experiences and overcame them inspired me to keep moving forward.
I left Her Conference 2023 feeling more empowered than ever. I was reaffirmed through all the speakers’ invaluable advice. As a recent graduate who’s unsure of my future and a person of color who sometimes underestimates my ability to achieve certain milestones, Her Conference made me realize the world is my oyster. Seeing all the keynote speakers from different walks of life speak about how they became the best version of themselves only added fuel to my fire. Regardless of where you are in life — incoming freshman, postgraduate, or young career woman — going to Her Conference will empower you to achieve anything you put your mind to.