On the heels of the awe-inspiring uprising for racial justice and the expansion of institutional and organizational expressed commitments to tackle systemic racism explicitly, the Racial justice movement is experiencing full-frontal cultural and political backlash—the likes of which we have not seen since the Civil Rights Movement. The opposition is unapologetic and public in its organized intent on keeping structures of racialized oppression intact. The far-right faction has captured the tools of meaning-making to strategically gain and exercise power to erode our public and social systems.
Our individual and unique contributions will not be enough at this moment. We must join together in building collective power and strategy to root out systemic racism, to challenge and put an end to political violence and the rapid march towards white authoritarianism.
This moment in time requires us to choose love, be strategic, rigorous, and disciplined. In addition to being a place of refuge, Facing Race has historically been a space for organizers, educators, practitioners, artists, and movement builders to think together, develop effective strategies, and build the relationships that enable us to carry out the work we envision. We urgently need this space, and whether in person or online, we invite you to join us at Facing Race 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona, November 17-19, 2022.
Together we will develop the strategies, will, and commitment needed for the collective power to refuse authoritarianism and work towards building a just multiracial democracy.
Plan to attend sessions in each of the Breakout Sessions Themes:
1. Narrative Arts and Culture
This track allows expansive space for storytellers, artists, journalists, strategic communicators, media makers, and movement-builders to explore how written and spoken word, image, and movement are used to shine light on the human impacts of systemic oppression and illuminate potential paths forward to a racially equitable society.
2. Institutional and Sectoral Change
This track is a place for practitioners from a variety of sectors getting real about transforming our institutions to dismantle structural racism and generate racially equitable outcomes. Sessions will highlight how people are working their organizations and sectors to normalize, organize for, and operationalize racial equity in their institutions.
3. Movement and Community Driven Solutions
Black, Indigenous, people of color, and migrant of color communities should be positioned as leaders, owners, and decision-makers at the center of our movement for conditions that impact our lives. This track elevates leaders in our communities, explores strategies that support cross-sectoral organizing, demonstrates community accountability, highlights policy solutions that lead to more equitable outcomes, and celebrates the efforts and victories of grassroots organizing.
4. Race Identities and Innovations
Racial identities shape our personal experiences, our community boundaries, our political movements, and our political ideas and visions. Both large and small groups today use racial identity politics to organize both for and against human freedom and dignity. In spite of this knowledge, we rarely discuss identities as if they have their own past, present, and future. This track is for workshops that teach and explore the complexity of racial identities, their constant renewal and change, and their uses for racial justice organizing.