Evelyn M. Simien, director of the Africana Studies Institute and professor of political science, has studied Black women in politics for the past 20 years.  

But throughout her career, as she transitioned from one position or job to the next, she found employers asking: “Tell me again: why is it important that we study Black women in American politics?” 

“Fast forward to today — no one, I think, would dare ask that question,” Simien says. 

Women from UConn and 15 other universities who study psychology, nursing, social work, engineering, nutritional sciences, human development and family sciences, and education gathered at UConn the week of Aug. 5 for workshops, conversation, and collaboration. 

Although the Democratic Party’s nomination of Kamala Harris, a Black woman, for U.S. president, has elevated the significance of Simien’s research, Simien says there is still not enough focus in other research areas about women and girls of color, such as health disparities.   

“I’m just one example,” Simien says. “I hope to inspire others and equip them with the tools to be successful in this profession. I also want to show them that you can study women and girls and get promoted, get tenure, and thrive in academia. This institute showcases how women of color who study women and girls have been successful.” 

Simien and colleagues at the Africana Studies Institute organized the program to inspire researchers and provide practical skills, like how to procure grant funding, to younger faculty members who research women and girls of color. 

The program was organized with the help of funds from the Provost’s Office in 2015, following an initiative to promote scholarship and research on women and girls of color from the White House Council on Women and Girls.  

The weeklong program featured keynote speakers, writing workshops, group coaching sessions, and lectures.  

Each day of the program revolved around a different theme, with Monday’s activities focused on “telling herstories.” Tuesday’s sessions delved into mixed methods and data collection, where participants heard from University of California Los Angeles Professor of Political Science and African American Studies Lorrie Frasure who explained how to launch and fund a large-N survey. They also learned about varying qualitative research methods from Fiona Vernal, UConn associate professor of history and Africana studies, and Nadia Brown, Georgetown University professor of government.  

On Wednesday, the group explored topics about self-care, career development, and digital wellness. On Thursday, the group focused on lessons about funding sources and community engagement and learned strategies on how to make their own grant proposals stand out from Shawnda Chapman, the Director of Innovative Grantmaking and Research at Ms. Foundation.  

Keynote speaker Deirdre Cooper Owens, associate professor of history at UConn, kicked off the program on Monday by highlighting her career progressions, alongside the difficulties she had to navigate not only in her career but life. 

Cooper Owens’ speech, titled “How to Reclaim Peace and Balance When Academia Becomes Too Much to Handle,” addressed several lessons Cooper Owens has learned over the course of her distinguished career in academia, including lessons she learned and had to unlearn to succeed both professionally and personally.  

The keynote speaker shared how when she started her career an advisor told her not to trust other academics, and how she bought into “hustle culture;” however, as she progressed in her career, she realized that building relationships and figuring out how to balance her career and personal life were more beneficial for her.   

Participants related to Cooper Owens’ experiences and shared their struggles. They asked each other for advice on what they should focus on early in their careers, or how to navigate, being the only one in their department advocating for a specific issue they are passionate about.  

Simien says the participation of women from across different disciplines at UConn helps to create a robust network of researchers who can help each other even long after the weeklong program is over.  

“I wanted people to walk away confident and self-assured knowing that what they are doing is of tremendous value to the American public,” Simien says.