Keynote Speakers
Tressie McMillian Cottom is an award-winning sociologist, MacArthur Foundation Fellow, New York Times contributing opinion writer, and acclaimed author. As a cultural critic, her essays analyze and comment on some nation’s most pressing social issues. Cottom is the author of two books: “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy” and “Thick: And Other Essays", which made Cottom a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award. In 2023, Cotton was the winner of the Joseph B and Toby Gittler Prize for her writing covering the intersections of race, education, technology, class and gender. Currently Cottom is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a principal investigator at the Center for Information, Technology and Public Life.
How does Cottom embody Facing Race’s theme: “Rooted in Resistance, Powered by Solidarity”?
- She connects Southern history to national progress: Facing Race will be a homecoming for Cottom as an HBCU alum. From unpacking Southern institutions to analyzing national political trends, Cottom frequently draws on her roots to explore race, gender, and power across generations in ways that are clear, urgent, and accessible.
- She models how we build narrative power: Through her columns and books, Cottom deconstructs our social issues and shows us how to use stories to shape a liberatory vision for a world where we all can thrive.
- She reminds us that democracy requires participation: Cottom actively works to counter political exhaustion, urging communities to build lasting power through deeper collective organizing and active, everyday civic participation.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Cottom as our keynote speaker for this year’s conference and can’t wait to share in her wisdom!
W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award-winner, four-time Emmy Award-winner, documentary filmmaker, stand-up comedian, podcaster, part-time activist, and full-time family man. As a racial justice advocate, Bell is a two-time New York Times Bestseller with Do The Work! — An Antiracist Activity Book and Who is Government? — The Untold Story of Public Service, which stands as a collection of essays. Bell is best known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part Showtime docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and his HBO documentary 1000% Me — Growing Up Mixed. This year Kamau launched his new podcast Who’s With Me?, which is based on his bestselling Substack newsletter by the same name. Bell is also the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice and on the Board of Directors for several nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose and LiveFree. Kamau’s next book is a children’s book co-written with bestselling author Adam Mansbach, titled Rock, Paper, Scissors, Cheese set to be released in October 2026. Bell cares too much and sleeps too little.
How does Bell embody Facing Race’s theme: “Rooted in Resistance, Powered by Solidarity”?
- His work is rooted in anti-Racism and shared understanding: Bell’s work reminds us that truth-telling does not have to be disconnected from joy, and that we can face hard realities without losing sight of our shared humanity.
- Humor is his pathway to having hard conversations: Bell’s comedic approach and cultural criticism has made him one the most distinct cultural voices of our time. His wit and warmth are exactly what is needed in this moment and on the Facing Race stage.
- He uses storytelling as a catalyst for bridging across divides: Facing Race is about building community and solidarity. Bell has reached across political ideologies, religions and beliefs to have complex conversations that push us to examine our unique challenges and commonalities.
We cannot wait to have W. Kamau Bell join us in November!
Vu Le is an author, speaker, and former nonprofit executive director who writes the blog nonprofitAF.com, which details the humor and frustration of nonprofit work. Le is a vegan, Pisces, seitan-worshipper, and defender of the Oxford Comma. He has over two decades of experience in the sector, including 13 years as an executive director across two nonprofits. Le is one of the co-founders of the Community-Centric Fundraising movement—a fundraising model grounded in equity and justice and prioritizes the benefit of communities over individual organizations. Le is the author of a new book called “Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector,” which his 9-year-old said, “Is not as boring as I thought it would be.” In his free time, Le hangs out with his kids, watches TV shows and movies, and eats way too much dark chocolate. He has a BA in psychology and a Master of Social Work, which disappoints all his relatives.
How does Le embody Facing Race’s theme: “Rooted in Resistance, Powered by Solidarity”?
- He says what many of us are thinking: Vu has built a national platform by naming what many nonprofit and movement workers experience every day: underinvestment, burnout, bureaucracy, inequitable funding practices, and the pressure to do transformative work inside systems that often resist transformation.
- He pushes the sector from good intentions to better practice: As a co-founder of the Community-Centric Fundraising movement, Vu challenges nonprofits and philanthropy to rethink power, resources, fundraising, accountability, and what it means to center communities.
- He reminds us that sustaining the work means sustaining the people: Vu’s writing makes clear that racial justice work cannot depend on exhaustion, scarcity, or performative equity. His perspective is especially important for a convening like Facing Race, where we come together to strengthen not only our strategies, but our collective capacity to keep going.
We cannot wait to have Vu Le join us in November!