Conference to be held Feb. 16-17
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato’s 47th annual Dr. Michael T. Fagin Pan African Conference, scheduled for Feb. 16-17, invites participants to “examine their individual and collective contributions to the formation and sustaining of unadulterated BLACK JOY.”
The conference is open to the public. The public registration cost is $75 ($50 for non-Minnesota State Mankato students). Registration is free for Minnesota State Mankato students and employees. Complete registration information for the Feb. 16-17 conference is available at www.mnsu.edu/panafricanconference.
Feb. 16 events include a pre-conference reception and conference art gallery opening and entertainment by Ashley DuBose & Band, and Feb. 17 events include keynote speakers and presentations. A complete schedule is available here. Keynote and featured speakers, in order of their presentations, are listed below. Detailed speaker information is available here.
The first featured speaker, Gabrielle Grier, is scheduled to present Friday, Feb. 17 from 8:45-9:35 a.m. According to a conference preview, Grier is an artist, visionary, facilitator and participant of growth, perspective shifts and intentional responses to social and political change. She holds a master’s in education degree in youth development and leadership and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and youth studies, both from the University of Minnesota.
Speaking virtually Friday, Feb. 17 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. will be writer Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts. According to a conference preview, Lewis-Giggetts has published 20 books and her book “Black Joy” has been nominated for a 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Instructional. Lewis-Giggetts holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Kentucky, an MBA degree from Montclair State University and a master of fine arts degree from Fairleigh-Dickinson University.
(NOTE TO EDITORS: Media interested in covering the conference may contact BalenciaSariah Crosby, interim director of African American and Multicultural Affairs at Minnesota State Mankato and chair of the 2023 Pan African Conference, by phone at 507-389-6207 or by email at balencia.crosby.2@mnsu.edu.)
The Pan African Conference is committed to developing and enhancing the leadership skills in collegiate Black young adults, as well as provide opportunities for academic scholars, professionals and community members to discuss issues that affect descendants of Africa on a local, national and international level.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.
