Focus Group

In June 2012, a cohort of 32 Black women graduates of Simmons University, representing the classes of 1965–1979, gathered at the Campbell Soup Company headquarters in Camden, New Jersey, for a powerful and reflective focus group.

Through guided conversations, the women explored:

• Where they began in life and the experiences that shaped them;
• Their experiences attending a women’s college during the Civil Rights Movement;
• The personal and professional challenges they encountered, as well as the successes they achieved; and
• How their stories could be used to inspire a new generation of girls of color.

The women’s stories were documented with the original intention of creating a book to inspire girls and young women facing social and economic barriers as they pursued their own paths to career success.

But something even more powerful emerged from that gathering.

The collective wisdom, resilience, accomplishments, and overwhelming spirit of these remarkable women inspired a vision that reached far beyond the pages of a book. In 2014, that vision became Women of the Dream, a nonprofit organization dedicated to carrying their legacy forward and inspiring future generations of girls and young women to dream boldly, pursue their goals, and realize their full potential.