Conn College Alum Attends White House Summit
Chakena “Kena” Sims, a graduate of Connecticut College, attended The United State of Women summit hosted by The White House in June. She joined influential women from across the country in Washington, D.C., to discuss gender equality in areas such as educational opportunity, entrepreneurship and civic engagement.
Attending the summit, which featured speakers such as First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, was an invigorating experience that strengthened Kena’s resolve to attend business school and run for an elected office in the future.
Kena’s commitment to Chicago Votes, a nonpartisan organization that trains and empowers young people to become involved in government and public service, prompted them to nominate her to attend the White House summit.
A passionate community organizer and believer in participatory democracy, Kena helped set up annual voter registration drives at Connecticut College and worked closely with Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill. Since graduating in December 2015, she has worked for Kim Foxx’s campaign for Cook County State’s Attorney and immersed herself in Chicago’s political scene.
Now a press assistant for Chicago Public Schools and a newly elected young alumni trustee at her alma mater, Kena is eager to continue to contribute to critical discussions about education.
