What’s the tea?
FSH’s Alumni Board closed I Can Excel Career Week with candid conversations, lessons in confidence, identity, and career readiness.
Figure Skating in Harlem’s I Can Excel Career Week concluded with What’s the Tea?, a closing reception hosted by the FSH Alumni Board that brought students and alumnae together to explore the relationship between identity, confidence, and professional life. The gathering gave students an opportunity to reflect on the careers they had encountered throughout the week, ask candid questions, and begin imagining who they want to become as they pursue their own futures.
Exploring Black Dandyism, Style, and Self-Expression
A central part of the program explored the history and cultural significance of Black Dandyism. Students examined how Black individuals have used style and presentation as expressions of identity, resistance, and power, including in the workplace.
The discussion connected self-presentation to larger questions about confidence and authenticity. Students considered how identity shows up in professional spaces and how personal expression can communicate a sense of self. By bringing cultural history into a career-readiness conversation, the program encouraged participants to think about their future “career selves” in ways that honored their individuality.
Understanding Personal Strengths and Candid Conversations
Students also completed a 16 Personalities assessment as a starting point for exploring their strengths, communication styles, and work preferences. The activity invited them to reflect on how they interact with others and how different preferences might relate to potential careers and workplace dynamics.
Alumni Board members shared reflections on navigating the workplace as women of color, offering perspectives on leadership, resilience, and building community. Students had opportunities to ask candid questions and build personal connections with graduates whose journeys extended beyond the program.
