She Got Next - Inside the 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference and the Movement to Empower the Future

There’s something powerful that happens when Black women and girls gather—not just to be seen, but to be celebrated, poured into, and called higher. And this June, I witnessed that power firsthand at the 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Hosted by the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium, this two-day event was more than just a conference. It was a movement. A moment. A declaration.

“She Got Next” wasn’t just the theme—it was a prophetic truth spoken over every girl in the room.

Held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis from June 6–7, the conference brought together an intergenerational wave of brilliance—Black girls, femme-identifying youth, and women from across the South united in joy, innovation, healing, and purpose. And from the moment I stepped into the space, I felt the shift. This wasn’t just another networking event. This was sacred ground.

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

Every room buzzed with laughter, sisterhood, and a shared sense of becoming. Workshops and panels covered everything from mental wellness and financial literacy to social justice, beauty, STEM, and spiritual healing. There were moments that stretched the mind—and others that stirred the soul.

But what moved me most was seeing the way these girls believed in themselves. And why wouldn’t they? The entire experience was designed to remind them that their dreams are valid, their voices are powerful, and their futures are divine.

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

While at the conference, I had the honor of interviewing Chancee Lundy, Executive Director of Southern Black Girls, and rising voice Calcea Johnson, whose presence and perspective reminded me that the next generation is already leading.

Chancee spoke with deep conviction, saying, “We’re not just creating programming—we’re creating legacy. These girls are being equipped to lead in their own right, and this conference is where that belief is born.” Her words carried the heart of the entire experience: that this is more than inspiration—it’s preparation.

In my conversation with Calcea, a soft-spoken but undeniably powerful young woman, I was struck by her confidence. “Being here made me feel like I belonged in rooms I used to be scared to walk into,” she shared. Her eyes held a certainty beyond her years—a knowing that she had not just been invited, but divinely assigned to the spaces she now occupies.

These conversations were affirming and humbling. Because even as a grown woman, I found myself learning, healing, and being stretched alongside them.

Photography courtesy of Becoming Her Magazine

Photography courtesy of Becoming Her Magazine

From interactive showcases to the Tech Innovation Zone, Black girl brilliance was on full display. Girls danced, created, coded, built, and boldly told their stories. There were tears, yes—but not of sorrow. They were tears of release, gratitude, and recognition. Because in a world that too often overlooks us, this space saw us clearly.

Executive Director Chancee Lundy described it best: “Attending the Black Girls Dream Conference is more than just an experience, it’s a life-changing moment.” She’s right. And I’ll add this—it’s a glimpse into the future we’re all responsible for protecting.

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

That future was also honored through a special recognition ceremony spotlighting grant recipients—organizations and individuals whose work is transforming lives across the South. It was beautiful to see women and girls not just applauded, but funded, resourced, and backed.

Visionary founder LaTosha Brown left us with a powerful reminder: “If you change the life of a Black girl, you change the world.” That truth echoed in every hallway, every breakout room, every hug shared between strangers who quickly became sisters.

This wasn’t just a gathering. It was an awakening.

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

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So, to the Black girl who dreams big...To the woman who’s still healing while mentoring others...To the community leader building something from the ground up...

You got next.

And if you weren’t there this year, make it your business to be in the room next time. The future is being written by Black girls—and trust me, it’s bold, brilliant, and beautiful.

Learn more and join the movement at SouthernBlackGirls.org.

Photography courtesy of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium and Becoming Her Magazine

Follow Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium-  @southernblackgirls

Photography courtesy of Becoming Her Magazine

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