AOCC 2025 Will Highlight the Power of Critical Hope

The Harvard Graduate School of Education will host its 23rd annual Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC) on February 28 and March 1.

Since 2003, the Ed School has brought distinguished alumni to Appian Way to inspire and impact the education landscape with its annual convening of alumni, students, artists, and scholars.

This year’s theme, “The Power of Critical Hope: Reset. Reimagine,” invites participants to consider how to navigate a world marked by persistent challenges and opportunities for change. Embracing an equitable and just future, embracing critical hope, and other transformative concepts will be explored in a series of keynote speeches, breakout sessions, and network-building opportunities.

Below, AOCC 2025 student co-chairs — Ed.L.D. students Angelique Smith, and Tremain Holloway, Ed.M.’16 — detail what to expect at this year’s conference, how they’ve worked with faculty advisor Pamela Mason, Ed.D.’75, to develop their goals, and how its theme will resonate during the two-day event.

What have your past experiences with AOCC been like before becoming a conference co-chair? 

Smith: My journey with AOCC has evolved from serving as a 2024 presenter to stepping into the co-chair role this year. Last year, my team and I designed a workshop that provided a brave space for participants to analyze street data and its implications for marginalized communities. This experience fueled my passion to serve in a greater capacity — ensuring that AOCC 2025 is not only impactful but also a transformative experience. My vision includes expanding leadership opportunities across the Harvard Graduate School of Education, leveraging the strengths of the education leadership doctoral program (Ed.L.D.), and launching AOCC X, a long-envisioned initiative of mine that will bring new dimensions to the conference.

With these efforts, I am committed to making AOCC 2025 the most engaging and meaningful conference yet.

Holloway: When I was a master’s student in 2016, I served as a volunteer by supporting hospitality and registration. This year, my involvement has shifted dramatically as I step into a leadership position. 

Now, I’m in a space where I’m not just experiencing the impact of the conference, I’m helping to shape it. That means making critical decisions, working closely with stakeholders, and ensuring that AOCC continues to serve as a platform for amplifying the voices and experiences of alumni of color. This shift has deepened my commitment to AOCC’s mission, particularly in how it aligns with my passion for uplifting others and fostering spaces where underrepresented voices are heard and valued.

What does this year’s theme mean to you and how do you hope to highlight “The Power of Critical Hope?”

Smith: This year's theme resonates and embodies my beliefs and vision for the future of education. In spite of the various issues that may have arisen in the political context, public education, and higher education ... we have hope, specifically critical hope. The conference gives me and attendees the opportunity to reset and reimagine what the world is and can be and how we can contribute to making it happen together.

Holloway: “The Power of Critical Hope” is both timely and deeply meaningful. It speaks to the balance between acknowledging systemic injustices while maintaining a vision for transformation and progress. Critical hope isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about recognizing the realities of oppression, inequity, and struggle, yet still choosing to believe in the possibility of change — and more importantly, working toward it. For me, this theme resonates on a personal level because it aligns with my core belief in H.O.P.E. — Helping Other People Evolve. It’s about embracing the tension between critique and possibility, understanding that hope is not passive but an active force that fuels resistance, resilience, and reimagining a better future. 

I hope to highlight “The Power of Critical Hope” throughout AOCC by ensuring that every aspect of the conference reflects both honest dialogue and visionary action. That means creating space for difficult conversations about systemic barriers while also uplifting stories of persistence, innovation, and collective progress. Through keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, I want attendees to leave not just feeling informed but empowered to act —to see hope as a strategy, not just a sentiment. 

Additionally, I see this theme as an opportunity to center community care and collective healing. Critical hope reminds us that we don’t have to navigate these challenges alone; we find power in our shared experiences, our networks, and our collective wisdom. Whether it’s through storytelling, mentorship, or coalition-building, I want AOCC to be a space where attendees feel seen, supported, and re-energized in their personal and professional journeys. At its core, “The Power of Critical Hope” is about refusing to accept the status quo while believing deeply in our ability to create change — together.

What are you most looking forward to with this year’s AOCC? 

Smith: I am looking forward to celebrating the brilliance that will be woven throughout the conference. I am seeking to witness complex problems in education brought to the forefront amongst the community with some resolutions. I am hoping that it is a "homecoming" for educators.

Holloway: What I’m most looking forward to with this year’s AOCC is the opportunity to create spaces for meaningful connection and transformation. AOCC has always been a powerful gathering for alumni of color, and I’m excited to see how this year’s conference fosters dialogue, healing, and empowerment for everyone involved. The theme always reflects critical issues impacting our communities, and I can’t wait to see how it resonates through our keynote speakers Gholdy Muhammad and Sharif El-Mekki. Beyond the content, what excites me most is the sense of community — seeing people come together, reconnect, and support each other in ways that extend beyond the conference itself. 

I’m also looking forward to elevating voices and stories that might not always be heard. Representation matters, and AOCC provides a platform for alumni of color to share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in ways that inspire and ignite change. There’s something truly special about the energy of this gathering — being in a space filled with brilliant, passionate individuals who are dedicated to making an impact is powerful. More than anything, I’m eager to help create an event that leaves people feeling empowered, heard, and hopeful for the work ahead.