Friday, Oct. 13 to Sunday, Oct. 15
Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook Chicago
Welcome to the 2023 Little Berkshire Conference of Women Historians! This page has a tentative schedule of all the events during the 2023 Little Berks. Please check back for updates.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Welcome and Reception
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Dinner and Keynote Address: “Founders Chic; or The Perils of Nostalgia” by Professor Leslie M. Harris, Department of History, Northwestern University
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14
7:00 a.m. Trillium/Nature Walk
8:00 – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast
10-12 p.m. Workshops
Workshop #1: Abolition as Praxis: How Black Feminist Thought Can Lead Us Forward
This workshop is for non-BIPOC members/people as part of our efforts to recognize and grapple intra-organizationally with racist, homophobic, and anti-Islamic tendencies, as well as the multiple other microaggressions experienced by people of color at the Berkshire Conferences. This workshop seeks to introduce abolition as theorized and embodied by Black Feminist thinkers, to ask: What does a radically different academic community look like? How can we apply this framework to forge a path forward? We hope this workshop will be the start of an action-oriented cohort focused on intentional work towards divesting from whiteness and building a radically different academic community, not just in the Berks but in the profession and beyond.
Workshop #2: Future of the Berks: BIPOC Leadership and Collective Care
This workshop will offer a rejuvenating space for BIPOC people to imagine and co-create a present-future 21st-century Berks those values and uplifts the insights of BIPOC leadership. The workshop centers collective care as a personal, organizational, intellectual, and social justice foundational ethic and praxis. This strategizing work will incorporate wellness practices, small and large group dialogues, and be guided by three questions: What do we need? What do we want? And what’s that look like? (90 minutes to 2 hours in duration)
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
You may have lunch on the hotel property at Water’s Edge & Lakeside Patio or Hearth Lodge. Should you want to venture away from the hotel and explore Oakbrook, please see here for other restaurants and eateries. For other area attractions, see here.
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Yoga/Relaxation/Meditation Session
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Code of Ethics Meeting
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Reception
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Dinner
9:00 p.m. (and on) Board Games, etc.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15
8:00 – 10 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Business Meeting
In addition to normal business, Barbara and Judy will present their outgoing State of the Berks report and Rhonda and Ji-Yeon will present their vision for the organization moving forward.
Other amenities of note and worth enjoying
- Hyatt Lodge and Spa at Oak Brook Reserve – offers state-of-the-art equipment, top-of-the-line fitness classes, and expert-delivered spa treatments. For their spa offerings and services, see here.
- Indoor Pool and Fitness Center
- Pet-friendly hotel
- Transportation and Parking at the Hotel (map & info)
Parking: Complimentary guest parking is available adjacent to the hotel in the self-parking lot. For your convenience, we recommend pulling up to the front drive of the hotel before self-parking so staff can easily assist you with unloading luggage before you park.
Shuttle: Can provide transportation to restaurants and attractions in the surrounding area (within a 3-mile radius of the hotel).
last updated 20 September 2023
