Teen Vogue Summit 2018: Young Black Women Are Here And Ready to Do The Work

On June 1-3 the second annual Teen Vogue Summit took place in New York City. The three-day event, which included a day of service, brought together some of the most inspiring activists and change-makers, like Amandla Stenberg, Common and Amara La Negra.

In addition to panels, fireside chats and speeches on some of today’s most pressing social justice issues there were activations, bag making, and the opportunity to meet with several of the organizers of the event. 

Typically it’s celebrities and influencers, of which there were plenty, that are the highlight for summits such as this however at this year’s Teen Vogue Summit that wasn’t quite the case. The most interesting and engaged individuals were actually the mainly female high school and college-aged attendees.

During the day’s events, the young woman enthusiastically cheered, snapped, and even screamed to show their support when individuals like Cynthia Nixon took the stage.

It was clear, this wasn’t your average crowd of apathetic teenagers waiting for someone else to do the work. ESSENCE spoke with three young Black women their upcoming summer plans and the work they’re doing to change the world for Black women. Keep scrolling for some major inspiration! 

Tatiana Glover 

This rising New School senior is on a mission to shift the narratives of women of color through her online concept brand Maghogany. 

While many college students use the summer to bum around or work job simply for a paycheck, not this young woman. The 20-year-old New York native will be helping bring her passion to life: uplifting women of color. 

Daria Simone Harper

Spending the summer in Paris before your senior year of college sounds pretty amazing right? Well Daria is using the opportunity to not just soak in Parisian culture in the form of baguettes and lots of cheese but to study the works of James Baldwin who became an expatriate in the country.

She told us she’s spent the last few weeks ferociously reading his works to prepare for her six-week stint. Harper plans to use her time abroad to further understand him and the context in which he wrote some of his most beloved books. 

Renee Chanel Harris

The summer after graduation can typically be a scary one for recent grads, especially if you don’t have a job lined-up. But if you’ve spent the last four years honing your craft and building a community geared towards women of color in theater, well then there’s not much to be nervous about.

Such is the case with Renee who just graduated from The New School. This summer, and really beyond, she plans to continue acting and expanding her project, Black Girls Do Theater— resources for Black actresses by a Black actress.