This past week, students from the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) and the McCourt School’s Black Perspectives on Public Policy (BPoPP) joined GU Politics for the opportunity to connect with leaders, activists and policymakers at legislative conferences over several days. Several students from both undergraduate and graduate programs attended the 52nd Annual Legislative Conference hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBC) and the Leadership Conference hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Georgetown students heard from influential voices in policy and were able to connect with Georgetown alumni.
The CBC’s Annual Leadership Conference took place from September 20 to September 24, offering attendees a series of speakers, forums, and networking opportunities. Conversations focused on a variety of policy issues including social justice, economic empowerment and emphasized uplifting Black culture. The Leadership Conference hosted by the CHCI took place from September 19 to September 21 and aimed to celebrate the next generation of Latino leaders by featuring national leaders, elected officials and influencers.
At the conferences, students were able to choose different sessions of the conference to attend, allowing them to explore the topics they are most interested in. For example, McCourt School of Public Policy Student, Kevyanna Rawls (MPP ‘24) attended a session at the CBC Legislative Conference called Frontline Defenders: Black Women Expanding Reproductive Rights at the State and National Level.
“This session was especially impactful for me because two Black women in the legislature in Florida, who understood the implications of limitations to women’s reproductive healthcare access in the South…spoke about the significance of remaining true to theirselves and advocating for the ideologies and values of the communities they represent. ” said Rawls.
Students attended other panels on topics such as “The Moral Urgency to End Gun Violence” and “Afro Latino Success.” McCourt student Ephesian Poinsette (MPP ‘24) said, “being able to attend sessions of my interest allowed me to learn from industry leaders and ways to enable policy change within my own sphere of influence.”
In addition to learning about a variety of policy topics, students took advantage of networking and professional development opportunities at the conferences as they were able to engage with professionals and leaders in policy and activism. Wesley Lowery, Spring 2022 GU Politics Fellow, also took time to meet with the students to discuss his career.
“This conference was incredibly helpful for my exposure to different career journeys and ways to be impactful in the public policy spaces,” said Natalia Cooper (MPP ’26) on how attending the CBC conference can help her academic and professional career.
“I met amazing people who would like to support my future plans,” said Yariel Tejeda (SFS ‘26). “Also, the professional setting allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and engage in conversation with new faces.”
The CBC and CHCI conferences allowed Hoyas the ability to grow as students and future leaders, as well as learn from others who share their cultural backgrounds and experiences.“I had an amazing experience at the Congressional Black Caucus Conference. Being able to meet decision-makers, hear various perspectives on policy matters, while learning about upcoming policy decisions was the highlight of my semester,” said Rawls.
This article was written by Jane Wright, a first-year student in the McCourt School of Public Policy.
