Lauren Jennings, the founder of The Best Me Conference, grew tired of being the only Black woman in the room while serving in professional leadership roles. 

“While this was something I had grown accustomed to, often, it felt exhausting,” she says. 

She searched for a space where she could feel seen and safe, where she could be authentically herself. 

“I thought, how powerful would it be to have a conference focused specifically on Black women with one common goal: to become the best version of themselves? It was there that The Best Me Conference was born. I took a risk, and since I could not find it, I chose to create the space I was looking for, a space for Black women to feel loved, nurtured, and inspired,” says Jennings.

Jennings affirms that Black women deserve a space where they can be celebrated and supported. Black women often face unique challenges and obstacles to success, and The Best Me Conference was created to address those challenges and provide resources and support to help overcome them. 

The Soft Life: Embracing Rest, Ease, and Joy

The Best Me’s theme for 2023 is The Soft Life. Jennings says that while she’s sure we’ve all likely heard this phrase, the definition of it is simple: living in alignment with the vision you have for yourself. It’s a daily reminder to evaluate what parts of your life are no longer serving you and give yourself permission to make the necessary changes to invest in the life you’ve always wanted to live. 

“As Black women, we’re tired of struggling, and we’re tired of having to always be strong. 2023 is the year of redefining softness and prioritizing rest, ease, and unapologetic joy,” says Jennings. 

Speakers come from a wide range of backgrounds and ages. This is intentional, as the goal is to promote cross-generational conversation.

“Our tagline is, ‘Whether you are 18 or 80, The Best Me Conference is for you.’ This is not just something that sounds good; it truly represents our target audience. Black women need community. Our speakers and attendees range in age, and no matter your age or background, you will walk away feeling celebrated and inspired. We are geared to meet the Black woman in her current state of being, whatever that is. Our topics, speakers, and workshops are created with this in mind,” she says. 

The Best Me Conference also discusses various aspects of Black women’s lives: health and wellness, self-esteem, career empowerment, love and family relationships. 

“As women and human beings, we are multi-faceted. We are body, soul, and spirit, and if one area is suffering, our entire being suffers. We felt it was critical that in order to be healthy whole women, we needed our entire well-being nurtured. Our topics reflect this,” says Jennings. 

Changing Women’s Lives

After the last Best Me conference, many women reached out to Jennings to share how the conference made a difference for them. 

Two, in particular, come to her mind. One attendee shared that the conference inspired her to run for public office. She had never considered that, but knew she wanted to make a difference in her community. 

“The conference gave her the push she needed to trust in herself and take the risk. She now serves as the first Black City Councilmember of her city,” says Jennings. 

The Best Me Conference is returning to California State University East Bay (Hayward) on April 1st, 2023. The organizers invite you to come clarify your purpose, top off your confidence, sharpen your skills and talents, and forge new connections. 

“We are uniting our tribe, so raise your hand and gather with us!”