The Other Iowa Girl
- Emili L. Johnson (Iowa State University)
Abstract
My life experience is unique. I was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. I am a graduate of the Des Moines Public School system and a predominately white institution - Simpson College. Even though I've been told that I do not 'look like an Iowa girl', I am at my core and always will be. Growing up in a world where I rarely saw representation, I've always been proud of who I am as a Black woman. I have understood, thanks to my upbringing, that to get what I want from this world, I would have to work ten times harder than my white counterparts. During this session, I want to share my experience of being the other Iowa girl and engage in a conversation around identity, perseverance, and challenges other Black women from Iowa like me have faced in life.