DNPs of Color Conference Honors SMU Faculty with Lifetime Achievement Award and Celebrates the Power of Rest and Resistance
In October, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) nursing faculty, staff, and students attended the 5th Annual DNPs of Color (DOCs) conference. With this year’s theme of “Rest and Resistance,” the conference brought together nurses, scholars, and healthcare leaders from across the country to provide mentorship, advocacy, and professional development for nurses of color pursuing or holding the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
Dr. Danielle McCamey, the founder, CEO, and president of DNPs of Color explained the deeper message of this year’s theme: “Rest is not surrender—it’s reclamation. It’s a radical act of saying, ‘I matter, even when I pause.’ This weekend, take what you need…You have permission.”
The conference, which was held in Oakland this year, was sponsored by SMU and recognized by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office with a proclamation honoring the organization’s contribution to equity and leadership in healthcare.
Conference sessions included “Rest as Resistance: Leaning into History, Activism, and Intentional Rest,” which explored how structural racism and workplace stress impact nurse practitioners of color and framed rest as a radical act of resilience. The “Rest & Resistance Signature Panel” further connected rest and resistance as intertwined acts of survival and liberation, emphasizing rest as a rejection of grind culture and resistance as a path toward truth, action, and transformation.
For SMU nursing students and faculty in attendance, it was both an inspiring learning experience and a chance to strengthen ties with the Oakland community. Just steps from SMU’s new campus, the event reflected a shared commitment to empowerment, diversity, and well-being—values that continue to shape the future of nursing.
SMU Demonstrates Leadership at DOCs Conference
Dr. Shelitha Campbell, SMU nursing faculty and co-chair of the DOCs conference, was honored with the DNPs of Color Founders Award for Lifetime Achievement for her leadership and advocacy in the nursing community through organizations like A Sista’s Touch, for which she is the co-founder and CEO. The conference featured A Sista’s Touch as a nonprofit partner aligned with the mission of empowering women of color and promoting community health equity.
Dr. Campbell reflected on the significance of hosting the DOCs Conference just across the street from SMU’s new campus, calling it “one of many opportunities for us to be in the community and show how important our legacy is to Oakland.”
Other SMU faculty participated in the event by offering sessions on pedagogy and practice, like a session offered by SMU adjunct faculty, Brandy Beazley (DNP, RN, CNS), titled “Weaving Caring Science into Curriculum and Practice: Building Resilience and Alleviating the Shock of Transitioning to Professional Practice.” The session offered insights into a quality improvement project that connects RNs in the Kaiser Permanente National Nurse Residency Program to Caritas Process®-based practices and resources.
Faculty Celebrate SMU’s Growing Presence in Oakland
Hosting the conference in Oakland at a location within walking distance from the new campus was inspiring for faculty who could see the future of SMU coming to life.
Dr. Noelene Moonsamy, SMU faculty and nursing alum, stated that it was always her dream “to see students of color, students that look like myself in our new campus, and now having DNPs of Color involved in our campus right now, it excites me so much.”
Diana Evans-Harris, an adjunct faculty member at SMU, described the pride of walking down the street and seeing the new campus, with a vision of what faculty will bring to this area by educating “the future nurses who will serve our community.”
Dr. Campbell was proud of students who were engaging in the broader themes of the conference and felt confident that they would bring their newfound understanding of power “out into the community, into the classroom, and to their patients.”
Students Find Inspiration and Belonging at the Conference
Several student participants like Muriel Nash (ELMSN-CM ‘26), who experienced the conference as a “door to visions and future endeavors” rediscovered their sense of purpose by listening to sessions like “Out Here in These Streets 101” and “100 Words, Infinite Impact.” Mariah Wolfe (ELMSN-FNP ‘25, DNP ‘26) said the conference solidified her commitment to the profession and the community she is “so proud to uplift every single day.”
For Shandreca Graham (ELMSN-CM ‘26) participating in a conference across from Samuel Merritt’s new campus reminded her that she had found her sense of belonging. “Here I have found my place,” she said, “not only did I find my purpose, I realized nursing embraced me.”
Other students felt empowered by the conference sessions, like Cierra Jones (ELMSN-FNP ‘27) who described “Out Here in These Streets 101” as “very empowering, very inspiring, and very emotional.” During the session, “Nursing is Political: Our Time is Now,” Clydia Anderson (ELMSN-FNP ‘25, DNP ‘27) felt like she was listening to “an aunt or an elder speak to my spirit and give me that uplifting motivation that I need to push forward and get my resistance out.”
The conference reinforced the importance of rest as an act of strength and sustainability. As Mariah Wolfe reflected, “we are resistant in life and in what we do, especially here in Oakland. But rest—the power of rest—is so important, and this reminded me that I need to allow myself grace and get that rest so I can continue to push forward.” Her words captured the heart of the weekend’s message: that through rest, reflection, and community, nurses can continue the work of healing.
