“Facing Race: A National Conference”- the nation’s largest multiracial, intergenerational racial justice summit, is calling St. Louis home this week and will run through Friday, Nov. 22.
According to organizers, the one-of-a-kind biennial event “serves as a vital intersection where community organizers, activists, and movement makers converge to build power and strategies to advance racial justice. Additionally, the conference’s theme, “Our Power, Our Solutions,” serves as a “clarion call that resonates deeply with St. Louis’ residents and community leaders.”
Founded in 1981, Race Forward catalyzes movement-building for racial justice. In partnership with communities, organizations, and sectors, it works to build strategies to advance racial justice in policies, institutions, and culture.
More than 4,000 attendees are expected to gather at the America’s Center Convention Complex for the three-day event. Unlike the gathering in 2022 during the pandemic, conveners say the 2024 event will return to its “original in-person experience.” Attendees, convener say, will receive “unprecedented access to resources, information, and collaborative opportunities geared towards advancing racial equity for all.”
Joy-Ann Reid, author, progressive political commentator and analyst and host of “The ReidOut” on MSNBC, will serve as keynote speaker Friday morning.
“St. Louis stands as a testament to resilience, innovation, and community spirit,” said Reid.
“By gathering in St. Louis, we aim to amplify these themes by grounding our discussions in the fabric of a city that encapsulates much of what we advocate for at Facing Race.”
The Facing Race website features video interviews with partners and host committee members from St. Louis, including Dr. LJ Punch, Executive and Medical Director, Power4STL, Annissa G. McCaskill, Executive Director of Forward Through Ferguson, Matt Oldani, Vice President with the Deaconess Foundation and Michael Brown, Sr. co-founder of the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization.
For more information visit: https://facingrace.raceforward.org/