By MARIA-PAULA

A national summit for Black women, Power Rising: Building an Agenda for Black Women, ran a four- day program for its 2022 Atlanta, GA summit which took place from Sept. 22–25.
To influence collective knowledge and turn power into action, Power Rising provided a space for Black females of every age in the U..S and the District of Columbia.
This year’s theme Joy! Reclaimed. Renewed. Rising! recognized the importance of owning and reclaiming the people’s joy, celebrating sisterhood and renewing their commitment to activism, health, well-being and enhancing collective power to create lasting change in the community and nation at large.
The Summit, “The State of Black Women: What’s at Stake Now” kicked off with the Opening Plenary featuring remarks from GA Congresswoman Nikema Williams, (D) on Friday, September 23rd.
On Saturday, September 24th, Democratic gubernatorial candidate from Georgia. Stacey Abrams, was the keynote speaker during the luncheon, which was followed by the second open press talk on the 2022 midterm elections.
Panel discussion gatherings covered topics ranging from navigating the ongoing impact of Covid on peoples lives to looking at politics and issues that touch on the woman of color through a moral and cultural values lens.
Conversation topics included tips on how participants could engage their networks and leverage both individual and collective power to push for social and cultural change. Also, using technology to mobilize power and pass a message to, the who, what, and why of cryptocurrency; breaking down personal financial planning and how to build wealth and financial security; mental health as part of self love and self care; dealing with grief and loss; to understanding menopause in Black women.
The summit was organized around five key pillars of activism and engagement namely:
1.Business & Economic Empowerment
2. Culture & Community
3.Education, Technology, and Innovation
4. Health & Wellness
5. Political Empowerment.
A number of high profile and front-line activists, political operatives, businesswomen, and organizational leaders representing the broad diversity of Black womanhood, joined to organize this historic Summit.
To protect participants, the media were required to show proof of full vaccination and identification from their respective media houses in order to gain entry.
The weekend wrapped up with the annual Sunday brunch featuring a “Fireside Chat” with Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund moderated by Star Jones.
POWER RISING is an intergenerational gathering of Black women from various sectors. Politicians, business women, union members, transgender, LGBTQ, mothers, immigrants are all indiscriminately part of the power house.
All from various backgrounds and sharing different views, are Black women—power speaking truth. They are Power Rising.