She Speaks Community Conference · Wilmington, NC
She Rises, She Reaps
July 16–18, 2027 · Wilmington, NC. Three days on the water for women who are ready to rise into what they have been quietly building. Restoration in the morning, training in the afternoon, celebration at night.
Friday, July 16
Arrival & Mixer
Check in, exhale, and meet your sisterhood over an evening mixer by the water.
Saturday, July 17
Trainings, Awards, Fashion & Art Show
Morning yoga by the water, then full-day trainings, an evening awards celebration, and a fashion and art show.
Sunday, July 18
Closing Brunch
A slow closing brunch to gather what you learned and carry it home.
Morning yoga by the water
Begin each day with your breath before the work begins.
Friday night mixer
Arrive, exhale, and meet the women you'll rise with.
Saturday trainings & awards
A full day of learning, followed by an evening awards celebration.
Fashion & art show
Saturday evening celebrates the creativity of our community.
Sunday closing brunch
A slow finish to gather what you learned and carry it home.
New for 2027
The Minnie Evans Art Grant
Named for Wilmington's own visionary artist, the Minnie Evans Art Grant awards $250 to the student or emerging artist whose work our Harvest Gala guests love most. Up to 17 artists will line our red carpet entrance on Saturday, July 17, 2027. Every guest votes with a ticket, and showcase spots are free.
Her Legacy
Minnie Evans (1892 to 1987) was a self-taught Black artist who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. She worked for more than 25 years as the gatekeeper at Airlie Gardens, and from 1940 on she never stopped drawing and painting, on paper bags, scrap stationery and whatever she had.
Her work was shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art and is held by the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian and the North Carolina Museum of Art. She left more than 400 works to Wilmington's Cameron Art Museum, and the Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel at Airlie Gardens stands in her honor.
She never had formal training, a studio or a gallery waiting for her. This grant gives the next generation of Wilmington artists a place to be seen, and a little seed money to keep creating.
Registration & Sponsorship
Proceeds support She Speaks programs.
Every registration and sponsorship directly funds our givebacks — sneakers for children, computers for students, holiday meals for families, and support for classrooms across Durham and Raleigh.
Registration details, lodging suggestions, and the full agenda will be shared with our interest list first.
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