August 18, 2026 – The national racial equity organization Race Forward today announced that W. Kamau Bell will serve as an additional keynote for its 2026 Facing Race conference, taking place November 12-14, in Raleigh, NC. Kamau, a four-time Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian, filmmaker, podcast host, and author, joins previously announced keynote speaker Tressie McMillan Cottom, the sociologist, author and New York Times columnist.
“This is a moment for those who want equity to prevail to unite,” said Race Forward President Glenn Harris. “We are delighted to have Kamau join our conference as he shares the same passion for democracy as our conference attendees. We believe he will offer an unvarnished yet hopeful take on what is possible when we refuse to accept the status quo.”
Facing Race is the nation’s largest, multiracial, intergenerational, post-election gathering of racial justice advocates across the country. This one-of-a-kind gathering serves as a vital intersection where community organizers, activists, artists, educators, and movement makers come together to build collective power, sharpen strategy, and advance racial justice nationwide.
Kamau has a longstanding relationship with Race Forward, including previous appearances at Facing Race and past service on Race Forward’s board.
Kamau is best known for hosting the Emmy award-winning CNN docuseries, United Shades of America, where he explored race, identity, and social issues across the nation. He is also a two-time New York Times bestselling author of Do the Work! An Antiracist Activity Book and a contributing author to Who is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Kamau also hosts the Who’s With Me? podcast and Substack newsletter, and his current standup tour shares the same name.
A limited number of media credentials are available for Facing Race. If you are interested in covering the conference, please complete this form by September 30: https://facingrace.raceforward.org/forms/media-credential.