This year, as our nation celebrates its 250th Anniversary of independence, we are faced with one of the most consequential decisions of our lifetime: what type of country we will be in the future.
Facing Race 2026 will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina, just over 70 years after the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. During this decades-long period of activism our ancestors fought and died for the rights we now enjoy. Today, we find ourselves in a fight against authoritarianism—against the levers of power and wealth that aim to divide us, take away our rights, and push us back decades.
But we are not deterred. Learning from our ancestors, we are rooted in resistance and powered by solidarity. We saw how they came together across differences to win fight after fight. Their resistance and solidarity has shown us that winning is possible.
That’s why we are honored to host Facing Race 2026 in conjunction with our Government Alliance on Race and Equity Annual Membership Meeting in Raleigh, a city rooted in Southern resilience, Black excellence, social justice leadership, and cultural vibrancy.
Known as the “City of Oaks,” Raleigh has a deep history of both struggle and present-day brilliance. The city symbolizes the resilience of communities whose strength lies in history that cannot be erased.
North Carolina and the South more broadly have long been the cradle of civil rights struggle and innovation. Most notable, Raleigh was the site of the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) at Shaw University—an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). As a driving force for grassroots organizing across the South, SNCC led the 1961 Freedom Rides, voter registration, and other major initiatives across the South, making it one of the most significant organizations of the Civil Rights Movement.
By gathering in Raleigh, we recognize the South not only as a site of historic struggle, but as a place of imagination and movement-building that continues to shape the path forward. Here, the roots of civil rights organizing run deep—and they continue to rise in power. Here, we will move forward our vision of a world where communities of color have governing power and thrive. Our progress may be under attack, but our power remains rooted in community, solidarity, and shared values. Here, we will honor and celebrate our roots in resistance and rise to meet the challenges and opportunities of this present day together as we build a just, democratic society for the future.