Annual REALTalk speakers to explore finding inner strength amid life’s challenges
By Laura Gallup, Student and Campus Life
At REALTalk 2026, two Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations alumnae will share personal stories and insights on navigating life’s challenges and building resilience. Themed “Finding Your Inner Strength,” the panel will take place Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. in Sage Chapel and will focus on how to manage self-doubt, unexpected setbacks or an uncertain path forward.
This year’s panelists, Lydia Anglin Grant ’18 and Angela Lu ’13, have built careers in law and strategy consulting, respectively. Grant is an attorney at Kirkland & Ellis, where she advises clients on sustainability and regulatory matters, while Lu works with life sciences and biopharmaceutical clients at Acumetis to solve complex business challenges. REALTalk is free and open to the public with an option to livestream the event.
“When life presents exceptionally difficult challenges, making space for joy and resilience can feel like an uphill battle,” said Elizabeth Kennedy, Associate Dean of Students & Director the Gender Equity Resource Center (GenEq), a co-sponsor of the event. “I am eager to learn from these two remarkable Cornell alumnae about how leveraging their inner strength has helped them navigate uncertainty and bring joy back into their lives.”
REALTalk, which stands for Relatable, Empowering, Authentic Leaders, is an annual speaker series presented by GenEq and supported by an endowment established by Cornell’s Chi Chapter of Delta Gamma (DG), the event’s other sponsor. The endowment funds the series in perpetuity, bringing alumni back to campus to share their experiences and insights with students and the broader Cornell community.
“We are proud to host accomplished alumni and invite them back to share inspiration with young women navigating similar situations to ones they once were in themselves,” said Kessie Ragland ’28, a member of DG who acts as a liaison between GenEq and the chapter. “I love how the event fosters connection between current students and alumni, sorority, GenEq members and the Cornell community as a whole.”
After graduating from Cornell, Grant earned a JD/MBA from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023, while Lu earned an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis in 2019. Their paths since leaving the Hill reflect the different ways they have developed the confidence and resilience to navigate new challenges.
A Houston native and daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Grant founded Cornell’s Black Ivy Pre-Law Society, interned on Wall Street and in the Obama administration and advocated for student federal financial aid policy by lobbying Congress twice. Her experiences have reinforced the importance of taking risks before feeling ready, persevering through uncertainty and remaining open to new possibilities.
Born in Canada and raised in Hong Kong, Lu first came to the United States to attend Cornell. Since leaving Ithaca, her journey has taken her across seven cities and three countries, shaping her perspective and strengthening her resolve to challenge self-doubt and social comparison. At Cornell, she was involved with the Forensics Society, faQ Online and The Advocacy Center. She now serves as president of Cornell Pride, the LGBTQIA+ Alumni Association of Cornell.
“I think it’s easy to feel like you have to have everything figured out, especially in college, when everyone seems to be on their own path to success,” said Katrina Greene ‘27, a student coordinator for GenEq. “REALTalk is important because it reminds us that even the women we look up to have faced uncertainty and had to find their way. I love that this event creates space for us to learn from one another and realize we don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.”
Since its founding in the 1970s, the Gender Equity Resource Center (GenEq) has evolved while maintaining its commitment to education, empowerment and strength for women and gender-expansive students. Through leadership development, educational events and community-building programs, GenEq works to foster an inclusive and supportive campus environment where students can bring their full, authentic selves to every part of their lives. Grounded in an intersectional approach to gender justice, the center promotes gender equity and inclusion at Cornell and beyond.
GenEq is one of several offices within the Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging. Together, these units support students through identity-based programming, resources and community spaces, with a focus on identity exploration and celebration, involvement opportunities, leadership development, support and allyship.
Ragland, a human biology, health and society major, and Greene, a government major, will moderate the panel. The event will conclude with a question-and-answer session, giving attendees an opportunity to engage directly with the speakers.
Open to all attendees, a reception will follow the discussion offering students an opportunity to meet the speakers and continue conversations about their experiences and insights.
Laura Gallup is a communications lead for Student & Campus Life.