Announcing Full Conference Programming Available
September 7, 2016 (New York, NY) --- Race Forward: The Center For Racial Justice Innovation announced today the program guide and workshop content forFacing Race 2016, to be held in Atlanta, GA, on November 10-12, 2016. For 3 days, attendees will have access to a transformative experience that will feature 80 individual workshops. Press passes may be requested by contacting media@raceforward.com. General registration for the conference, as well as various packages are now available; full details atFacing Race 2016 registration.
Opening this year’s Facing Race conference will be an electrifying plenary entitled, “Multiracial Movement for Black Lives” that will feature as moderator Michelle Alexander, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law professor, civil rights advocate and writer. Panelists will include: Chris Crass, Author, Educator, and advocate; Judith LeBlanc, Native Organizers Alliance; Isa Noyola, Transgender Law Center; Zon Moua, Freedom, Inc; and Alicia Garza, Founder of #BlackLivesMatter.
Garza stated, “If we are going to forge a strong movement for social transformation, no community can do that on its own. A strong movement can only be built with the active participation of all of us, connected in our resistance to anti-Blackness and the systems that keep our communities divided. Join us to explore the challenges and opportunities emerge as we commit to forging a new way forward--together.”
With a focus on continuing its legacy as being the largest multiracial, multigenerational conference for racial justice advocates in the United States, Facing Race 2016 will feature two keynote speakers at this years conference - Roxane Gay, writer, professor, commentator, editor, and author of “Bad Feminist” and Jose Antonio Vargas, Founder and CEO of Define American, Founder and Editor of #EmergingUS. Jointly, Race Forward is proud to have two keynotes that support authentic activism and have a clear vision in the fight for racial justice that honors and respects every voice. This year's Facing Race’s program will also offer 80 workshops in three tracks:
Organizing and Advocacy track highlights include:
“In Pursuit of Educational Equity: Building Healthy Living and Learning Communities” sponsored by The Schott Foundation for Public Education will be presented by Cassie Schwerner.
“Putting Race at the Center of the Next Economy” sponsored by Ella Baker Center will be presented by Nwamaka Agbo.
“Second Class Water: The business of water and the politics of water infrastructure in our communities” sponsored by Color of Change will be presented by Brandi Collins.
Inclusive Democracy (in collaboration w/ Center for Inclusive Society and the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society) track highlights include:
“Indian Country: Building Alliances with Others” sponsored by Native Organizers Alliance will be presented by Judith LeBlanc.
“Policy, People, Practice: Using Data to Move Towards Racial Equity within Organizations” sponsored by CUNA Mutual will be presented by Angela Russell.
“Building Solidarity for Food and Land Sovereignty” sponsored by Public Interest Law Center will be presented by Amy Cahn.
Arts, Media, & Culture track highlights include:
“Facing Race with Teens in Atlanta” sponsored by Vox Media will be presented by Susan Landrum.
“Liberatory Media Making in the South” sponsored by Spark Reproductive Justice Now will be presented by Cortez Wright.
“Mass Story Lab: Stories as a Tool for Building a World Beyond Prisons” sponsored by Create Forward will be presented by Piper Anderson.
Facing Race will also again feature “Race Flicks,” a series of beautifully short- and long-form documentary films that use powerful characters and engaging stories to educate and move audiences on timely, current racial justice issues. The lineup includes seven films: America Divided: The Class Divide; Breathin': the Eddy Zheng Story; The Conversation: A series of short films about race in America; First Light; Last Day of Freedom; Olympic Pride, American Prejudice; and Ovarian Psychos.
The attendees of Facing Race will have one thing in common: they are committed to racial equity and racial justice. However, the individuals who attend this conference do their work in a variety of ways; some are organizers, prominent scholars, advocates, journalist, artists, and they do work in for-profit and nonprofit sectors, representing organizations of all sizes.
As issues of race have come to the forefront of our national public and private conversations, this multi-disciplinary approach is key.
ABOUT:Race Forward advances racial justice through research, media and practice. Founded in 1981, Race Forward brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity. Race Forward publishes the daily news site Colorlines and presents Facing Race, the country’s largest multiracial conference on racial justice.
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