From Our Co-Directors
Hello!
We are Lena and Yilan, the Co-Directors of the 2021 AAWIL Conference. First, we'd like to thank you for your interest in attending AAWIL 2021; as people like you join our community, it warms our hearts to see so many unique individuals come together and collectively celebrate one another's stories and experiences.
We'd like to welcome you to look around this website - take a gander and explore what AAWIL 2021 has to offer. Join us in our sharing of stories, laughter, and tears. Join us in building community. If you have any questions or concerns at all, do please contact us at conference@girlsaspire.org.
Conference Programming
Speaker events
Speaker events are centered on listening and reflection. To facilitate these tenets, attendees will be encouraged to actively listen in the present and interact with speakers after the conclusion of the speaking event through the respective AMA channels in the 2021 AAWIL Slack.
Workshops
Workshops are centered on dialogue and interaction. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with their workshop leaders and fellow attendees in meaningful discussions, learn in community-based fashion, and build connections with each other.
Networking events
Networking events are centered on community and connection building. In past years, the networking event has traditionally been the highlight of the AAWIL conference, serving as a way for attendees to connect with each other in both a personal and professional capacity. This year, we hope for the networking event to engage our attendees in the same way, even if in a virtual setting.
Social events
Social events are centered on self expression and storytelling. Social events have the potential to encompass a wide range of activities, from a “pass the mic” night to casual games. Social events extend dedicated space to attendees to celebrate their unique, individual selves, to remind us that there is a story behind each camera, and to highlight the importance of community when navigating journeys of self-improvement.
Tracks
Tracks will run one after the other throughout the duration of the conference, guiding attendees to collectively focus on one key idea as they move through the events in that specific track.
Track 1: Introspection
Track 1 is centered on the self. What are the things that drive you? What makes you happy? What sustains you? Recognizing that both personal and professional growth stem from an understanding of the self, we hope to set the stage for the remaining tracks of the conference by first prompting our attendees to ponder these questions.
Track 2: Actuation
Track 2 is centered on the process of turning visions into reality. As the saying goes, things are easier said than done, and this is especially true when navigating school, career, and other major facets of life. Actuating a vision may seem like an insurmountable challenge, but through this track, we aim to show our attendees how to break down the barriers that may stand in their way.
Track 3: Balance
Track 3 is centered on finding balance. In an increasingly fast-paced and demanding world, it is all too easy to become overwhelmed and stretched thin. We hope that events in this track will give attendees the necessary tools to strike balance in their own lives, and to ultimately create a structure that prioritizes self care and sustainment.
Other Features
Audience
The AAWIL Conference prides itself in its tradition of drawing a cross-generational audience, with attendees ranging from high school students to seasoned professionals. We aim to continue that this year, intentionally curating a selection of workshop topics and speaking events that are both applicable and specific to each attendee, no matter what stage of life they may be in.
Interaction
In the spirit of our theme, “Your World, Your Oyster,” we will encourage attendees to shape their journeys within the scope of the conference itself. A “roadmap” provided to attendees at the beginning of the conference will outline the different tracks, events of each day, and opportunities to engage via the 2021 AAWIL Slack. In charting their own paths using this roadmap, each attendee will have the chance to shape this conference according to their individual needs and personal goals.
Pre-Conference Community Events
These community events are centered on community-building and engagement with those outside of ASPIRE leading up to the conference. They may include, but are not restricted to, casual coffee chats, movie nights, and trivia nights.
Virtual Community
The virtual community, facilitated through Slack, is an opportunity for attendees, as well as speakers and workshop facilitators, to get to know each other outside of conference events. The 2021 AAWIL Slack will be opened well before the conference, serving as the primary landing point for newly registered attendees as they are welcomed into the AAWIL family.
