Lower Merion School Hosting 'WOKE Conference' In April

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Lower Merion School District is teaming up with two local celebrities for a WOKE Conference to help the school community understand privilege, LGBTQ issues, feminism, gun control, and other hot social topics.

The WOKE Conference will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 4 at Harriton High School, 600 N. Ithan Ave in Bryn Mawr.

Harriton and Lower Merion SAGE (Students Advocating for Gender Equality) groups are hosting the conference with special keynote speakers "One Funny Mother" Dena Blizzard and Nydia Han, 6abc anchor and creator of "#ThisIsAmerica."

WOKE stands for Wisdom, Opportunity, Knowledge & Empowerment

Attendees will learn how to use their voices, tell their stories, and bring about change in student-led interactive educational sessions and action workshops on:

• race and privilege
• LGBTQ and gender issues
• masculinity
• feminism
• cultural proficiency
• gun control
• disability rights
• micro and macro aggressions
• and more.

See a full list of the day's workshops, learning sessions, and more here.

Registration is required and space is limited to 100 students from each high school.

You can register online here.

About Dena Blizzard

Blizzard first garnered attention in 1995 as Miss New Jersey in the Miss America Pageant, where she proudly ranked in the "Top 50.″ Since then she has worked as a television host, comedienne, and short-order cook and chauffer to her three kids. Blizzard can currently be seen on Anderson Cooper's Daytime show and in clubs and theaters around the country. Previously, Blizzard has performed for audiences at The Nate Berkus Show, Paula Deen's "Paula's Party," and Emeril Lagasse show "Live with Emeril" on the Food Network.

About Nydia Han

In September 2017, Emmy-winning 6abc anchor and reporter Han posted a Facebook video reply to a woman who yelled "This is America" at Han while nearly striking her with her car. That video was viewed 2.3 million times. 64,000 people reacted. 15,000 people commented. The reaction led Han to create a documentary video series called "This Is America" to encourage a truly constructive conversation about race and who we are as Americans. For her work, Han will receive the Pearl S. Buck International 2019 Woman of Influence Award.