Event: CHAS Conference 2024 at Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges

Woodkensia Charles is a senior physics major and astronomy minor at Haverford College. Born in Haiti and raised in Philadelphia, Woodkensia has been an active community leader on her campus, founding the Caribbean club at Haverford College and co-leading the Underrepresented Minorities in STEM group, as well as the Hair and Skincare club. She is…

Wes Matthews is a poet and essayist from the westside of Detroit whose work has appeared in 68to05, Gulf Coast, Muzzle, Beloit, TEDx, PBS NewsHour, and elsewhere. He is the recipient of the 2020 College Alumni Society Prize for his poetry and the 2020 Lillian and Benjamin Levy Award for his music criticism. He served…

Sham-e-Ali Nayeem is an interdisciplinary artist, poet, sound practitioner and recovering social justice lawyer.  She is the author of the poetry collection, City of Pearls (Upset Press, 2019), and has released two albums; City of Pearls (2019) and Moti Ka Sheher (2023) featuring self composed musical interpretations from her book. More recently, Sham-e-Ali is a collaborator in Suneil Sanzgiri’s Two Refusals (Would We…

Sachio left school in fifth grade, and is self-taught from that point on. He’s worked as a janitor/mover his entire adult life, and has taught himself literature and philosophy.  Since 2011, he started to blend his activism with learning social geography, became close with a group of geography graduate students at Temple University, and presented…

Afreen is a bi-co South Asian fusion dance team. We meet weekly to learn forms such as Bhangra, Bollywood, and Garba! We proudly take part in multiple performances across the tri-co and Philly!

Whitney Grinnage-Cassidy is a senior at Swarthmore College. She is studying Sociology & Black Studies and is originally from Wilmington, DE. Currently, Whitney is completing her thesis, The Black Creative Wellness Archive, and exploring how Black Queer Creatives use the arts and creativity to support their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. In addition to her…

Destiny Rosulme is a Haitian-American senior at Swarthmore College. She is double majoring in Human Rights and French and Francophone Studies. Her interests in wellness and self-care stems from her Buddhist beliefs and daily mindful meditation practice. She is a co-facilitator of the Swarthmore buddhist club and also a participant in various virtual and local…

Irene is a sophomore at Haverford College and a prospective major in Political Science and minor in Neuroscience and Asian American Studies. Dedicated to fostering safe spaces and advancing equity and inclusion, Irene serves as Co-Head of the Pan-Asian Resource Center (PARC), the Affinity Group Coalition, Officer of Multiculturalism in Student Council, and a Lead Associate in the…

Nahjee Grant is a notable figure who has dedicated himself to humanitarianism, education, and writing, particularly focusing on empowering and inspiring children and communities. He is a motivational speaker and a celebrated storyteller, having shared his life experiences through various books he has authored. Grant’s journey as an author and humanitarian is a story of…