Reflections on "No More Hidden Figures"

The first slide from the event slideshow, taken from my phone

On Wednesday, the event entitled "No More Hidden Figures: Honoring and Recognizing the SHEroes Among Us" honored five women whose work for Newark and beyond exemplifies excellence and dedication to the communities in which they serve. Lasting for roughly 90 minutes, the event featured two performances from local artists -- one of whom is a Rutgers student -- as well as a panel, Q&A, and awards ceremony.

I initially thought it was only a panel and figured I could fit it in between class and a scheduled meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the event and ended up staying for the whole time (even past my meeting time --- this is why you research things before you do them). The performances were inspiring, if a bit short and abrupt, but I thought it was neat that they proceeded the panel. 

Speaking of which, the panel proper was eye-opening. It consisted of five people, two moderators and three panelists, and the main discussion centered around representation and visibility. One of the questions in particular dealt with the topic of censorship and whether any of the women actively censored any people or groups in their work (which I think they deftly maneuvered around, not out of avoidance but out of respect perhaps). This portion was half an hour or so long, and it was followed by a brief audience Q&A, which all seemed to circle around self-care and how people of various circumstances -- specifically disability was mentioned -- intersect with the artists' work and their missions (I'll be honest, I have a terrible memory so I can't 100% say this is exactly how it went, but it was something along those lines). Overall, the speaking portion of the event was both the longest and the best.

The awards ceremony was quite short, consisting only of a video of last year's winners wishing this year's recipients well and the giving out of awards. After all winners receiving their gifts, a large photo shoot happened and then the audience was dismissed to get food and mingle. I left after this part so I could try and still make my meeting (spoiler: I did), but ultimately I thought this event was a success.

As someone both new to college and Newark/New Jersey, I learned a ton about the work people do in this community and the efforts to which people, and women of color in particular, fight for change and equality for all. While I may not pursue exactly the same paths as many of the women involved in the event, I have a wider sense of what is available and what is possible with the resources and people available to me. I would definitely attend this event and any like it in the future, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.