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Author: Jennifer R Farmer

Kamau Bell Joins Race Forward’s Facing Race 2026 Keynote Lineup

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For Immediate Release

August 18, 2026

 WASHINGTON – 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.

 

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Tressie McMillan Cottom to Headline Facing Race 2026

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For Immediate Release

August 10, 2026

WASHINGTON – Race Forward today announced sociologist, author and professor Tressie McMillan Cottom as the keynote speaker for its biennial Facing Race convening, taking place November 12-14, 2026. Facing Race is the country’s largest gathering of racial justice organizers, advocates, scholars, artists, public and civic leaders, and movement builders. 

Dr. Cottom is a towering intellectual whose extensive body of work and public scholarship closely aligns with Race Forward’s work to build a truly multiracial democracy. Her work challenges us to reimagine and transform the systems that determine who is included, who is excluded, and who has the power to shape our collective future. 

“We are keenly aware that this conference is occurring at a time of increasing efforts to undermine democracy,” said Glenn Harris, president, Race Forward. “The throughline between event speakers will be a sharp analysis of the state of race and democracy at a time of unprecedented attacks on both. We could not be more thrilled to have Tressie McMillan Cottom with us. She is exactly who our movement needs.”

As the first post-election gathering of its kind, Facing Race will bring together leaders and practitioners from across the racial justice movement to strengthen alignment and expand the conditions needed for justice, equity, and democracy to thrive. For more than two decades, Facing Race has served as a space for connection and exploration.

The event will occur in North Carolina, the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement. North Carolina, and the South more broadly, has long been a bastion of civil rights struggle and innovation. For example, the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) at Shaw University in Raleigh became a driving force for grassroots organizing across the South. 

The enduring leadership of Indigenous nations whose stewardship of this land predates the state itself, as well as the labor, cultural resistance, and organizing traditions of Black farmers, migrant workers, laborers, and freedom fighters who demanded dignity and justice in the face of systemic opposition. It is only appropriate that we return to the land of our ancestors, with the hope of learning from their triumphs and trials.

“Structural racism remains one of the greatest barriers to realizing a democracy where everyone is truly free,” Harris said. “This moment invites us to reimagine the future, the path forward and the ways in which we work and show up for one another. We will continue this work in North Carolina.”

Facing Race offers attendees unprecedented access to resources, information, cultural experiences, and collaborative opportunities designed to push racial equity forward across movements, sectors, and communities.

Throughout its history, Race Forward has consistently delivered this transformative experience, convening thousands in cities over the years, including Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Baltimore, Berkeley, New York, and St. Louis. Each chapter of Facing Race is intentionally rooted in place—honoring the people, histories, and movements that have shaped the fight for justice.

This biennial event has a limited number of media spots. If you are interested in applying for media credentials, please complete this form by September 30: https://facingrace.raceforward.org/forms/media-credential.

 

250TH Event: Race Forward to Explore Co-Governance and Democracy in July 1 Webinar

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WASHINGTON – As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, millions are questioning whether democracy can truly deliver on its promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. Race Forward will host a July 1 webinar to explore the possibilities for strengthening democracy through co-governance. The conversation will occur as part of the organization’s #RaceAnd series and will be held July 1 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT.

“On this 250th birthday of the USA, co-governance must be a foundational pillar of democracy’s future,” said Candace Moore, Vice President of Place, Policy, and Power for Race Forward. “Co-governance is the practice of communities and government sharing real decision-making power. It has been proven to combat authoritarianism, rebuild civic trust, advance racial equity, and produce better outcomes for everyone.”
This discussion will challenge the notion that democracy is something we receive and instead champion a vision of democracy as something we actively do, build, and govern, together.
WHO: Liz Sullivan-Yuknis, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Partners for Dignity and Rights
Niketa Brar, Civic Strategist and Movement Builder, For the Many Strategies, LLC
Jaime Kinder, Mayor of Meadville, PA
Shari Davis, Co-Executive Director, Center for Economic Democracy
Candace Moore, Vice President of Place, Policy, and Power, Race Forward
WHAT:           Webinar on Co-Governing, Democracy and New Futures
WHEN:          Jul 1, 2026|12 to 1:30pm PT

United Women in Faith to Welcome Trailblazing Speakers, Thousands of Women at Assembly 2026

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INDIANAPOLIS – From May 15 through May 17, United Women in Faith will host their quadrennial Assembly at the Indianapolis Convention Center, bringing together thousands of women to unite for change. Featured speakers will include civil rights activist and member of the Little Rock Nine Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford, and voting rights advocate and former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams.
“Assembly is where women of faith come to be inspired, equipped, and energized to lead change in their communities and the world,” saidSally Vonner, General Secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith. “We are thrilled to welcome Stacey Abrams, Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford, and so many more unstoppable women whose stories embody the heart of our theme.”
“I’ll be on the main stage with my mom, Reverend Carolyn Abrams, and joined by nearly 4,000 women from around the globe to be inspired, to sing, to nurture our souls, and to experience what it truly means to be unstoppable together,” said Abrams.
“With the eradication of the past, we cannot heal the wounds of the past and move on to a better future,” said Mrs. Eckford. “We can’t have true racial reconciliation until we honestly look at our shared painful past.”
If you are a reporter looking to attend, please contact press@spotlightpr.org. Limited media passes are available.
WHO:            United Women in Faith
                         Stacey Abrams
           Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford
WHAT:           Assembly 2026
WHEN:          Friday, May 15, 2026 through Sunday, May 17, 2026
WHERE:        Indiana Convention Center, Halls A, B & C
               100 S Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225
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United Women in Faith is the largest denominational organization for women in the United States.

Child Care Advocates Denounce Proposals to Deregulate as “Endangering Children

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WASHINGTON — As families and child care providers advocate for increased investment into a more accessible and affordable system that benefits all, government officials are proposing to slash spending and strip regulations. Alex Adams, assistant secretary for family support for the Administration for Children and Families, recently stated his desire to create a “bonfire” out of child care subsidy regulations. These proposals could loosen or eliminate protections, including health standards, and increase the number of children a child care provider may supervise. The agency Adams leads serves 2.3 million children from low-income homes. Child care advocates today released the following statement:
“It is so disheartening to witness federal officials attempt to deregulate a social service that is not only beneficial to children and families, but to communities and society,” said Jasmine Bowles, executive state director of 9to5 Georgia. “These efforts will weaken safety guards and reduce the quality of care.”
“In the United States, our government does not have a problem giving massive tax breaks to billionaires,” said Lenice Emanuel, executive director of the Alabama Institute for Social Justice. “Yet, they force low-income earning people to beg for help and jump through hoops to afford basic needs like child care. They want poor people to prove that they are worthy.”
“The Trump administration once again has picked a fight with the wrong people: parents and child care providers,” said Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices. “Parent Voices CA will not stand by while recycled racist, sexist, and xenophobic lies are used to disrupt the lives of our children. The child care workforce has historically been made up largely of immigrant and Black women who are paid low wages. Parents who qualify for child care have been on waitlists for more than a decade due to lack of funding, and providers are shutting down because low wages make it impossible to stay open in California. Providers already keep meticulous records, and there is no evidence of significant fraud, including in California, where strict oversight exists. If Trump wants to address waste and fraud, corporate welfare such as the ‘water’s edge’ tax loophole and private equity in child care deserve far more scrutiny. Superheroes choose kids, not billionaires!”

Mayor of Upper Arlington: My Focus is on Working People

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UPPER ARLINGTON, Oh. — In response to a baseless accusation of being a union buster, Upper Arlington’s Mayor Ukeme Awakessien Jeter today released the following statement:
“It is distressing that a media publication would say something that is intellectually dishonest and blatantly false for political gains. As a proud immigrant, I understand how important it is to have agency in life and at work.
“Throughout my time in public service, I have always sought to uplift working people and ensure they have the support they need to thrive. I understand that we are stronger together. The right to organize led to the eight-hour workday, safety and protection on the job and fair wages that allow hardworking people to care for themselves and their families.
“I also understand that my presence as a Black woman is threatening to the status quo. There are few identities more marginalized than that of a Black, immigrant woman. Regardless of these baseless and engineered attacks, I will continue to keep my focus where it should be: on working people.”

Child Care Advocates to Elected Officials: Protect Us All

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For Immediate Release

January 27, 2026

WASHINGTON – Following the tragic killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, child care organizers and advocates with 9to5 Georgia, the Alabama Institute for Social Justice, Alliance for Quality Education NY, the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, SPACEs in Action/Community Change, and the Raising Child Care Fund today issued the following statement:

“As child care organizers and parents, we grieve the perilous conditions unleashed by federal agents on children and families in Minnesota and beyond,” said Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices. “From threats to freeze child care funding, to dangerous immigration raids, to the calculated racial profiling of people of color, many communities feel unfairly targeted. This should matter to us all.”

“We know firsthand that children cannot learn when they are in survival mode,” said Lenice Emanuel, executive director of the Alabama Institute for Social Justice. “Child care educators cannot teach when they, and the children and families they serve, are under attack. Moreover, communities cannot know safety when they, and the public officials charged with serving them, are terrorized by federal agents.”

“Indeed, the federal government appears to have turned on her citizens,” said Lorena Garcia, CEO, Colorado Statewide Parents Coalition. “Law enforcement has been deputized to hunt persons suspected of being undocumented, with a new memo suggesting Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) could go door to door in search of undocumented immigrants. The practice of “detain first, ask questions later,” is immoral and dangerous. It isn’t in service of keeping the nation safe; it is designed to instill terror and fear in the American people.

“In the space of a few weeks, we’ve seen a pregnant woman pulled from her car, a disabled woman who was on her way to a medical appointment detained, a toddler and preschooler detained and flown out of the state, police officers of color detained, and multiple people shot, some fatally, by ICE or Border Patrol. The killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been well publicized, but they are not anomalies. In 2025, 32 people died in Immigration Customs and Enforcement custody, including 7 people who died in December 2025 alone,” Ignatius said.

“In a developed nation, no one should fear extra-judicial killings,” said LaDon Love, executive director, SPACEs in Action. It is imperative that each of us contact our respective federal officials and ask them to immediately pull ICE and DHS from Minnesota, and to prevent their entry in other American cities. As Jamelle Bouie from the New York Times has said, “mass deportation is inherently cruel.””

Child care advocates urge parents and others to:

  • Ask elected leaders to fund child care, not ICE.
  • Contact your elected leaders via email or phone, and share your thoughts about ICE.
  • Ask elected leaders for a thorough investigation into ICE killings.

“As an entity dedicate to children, families and child care providers, the RCCF joins our grantee partners in supporting the health, safety, and well-being of children, families, and early educators facing heightened stress and uncertainty in their communities,” said Rachel Schumacher, Director, the Raising Child Care Fund.

 

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This Black History Month, Anticipate and Then Act for Brighter Future

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For Immediate Release

January 26, 2026

ST. LOUIS, MO – In observance of Black History Month, the Deaconess Foundation today issued the following statement. The statement should be attributed to Deaconess Foundation President & CEO Bethany Johnson-Javois, and Vice President, Strategic Impact & Innovation, Constance Harper.

“On the eve of this Black History Month, many are wondering if progress is a thing of the past. Black History Month in 2026 is occurring at a time national unrest, widespread anxiety, and a breathtaking assault on the rule of law. Organizations that work to strengthen democracy express feeling under siege, and communities bearing disproportionate harm feel similarly targeted. One could be forgiven for questioning whether our best days (as a nation) are behind us,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Regardless of what is happening around you, do not surrender your imagination. Every system of domination begins by narrowing what people can imagine as possible. Indeed, do not let current events dampen your anticipation. Now more than ever, people of faith must tap into anticipation and allow that anticipation to fuel their advocacy. ‘Holy Anticipation’ is a disciplined spiritual posture that prepares us to respond rightly and righteously to God’s movement and human plans before they fully unfold,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Expectation and anticipation are not the same:  Expectation is confidence in God’s character and promises. But anticipation is how that confidence takes shape in a life of faithfulness and preparation. To anticipate a future that subsequent generations can be inspired by is to accept the responsibility to act in ways that make that future real. This is a moment to assert and organize for a future that sees, protects, and welcomes all. This is not a moment to shrink in fear or hopeless resignation. As we embark on Black History Month, our remembrance and celebration should interrupt routine and outlive the limits of a 31-day cycle,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Make a list of courageous actions, both big and small, that you can take to help create the beloved community our ancestors anticipated. This may look like calling elected leaders and urging them to do what is right, not merely what is politically expedient. It may look like showing up for those the powers that be are attempting to erase, with a clear expectation of mutual responsibility, shared risk, and collective liberation. It may look like intentionally standing with those who are in harm’s way. The bottom line is this. During Black History Month, anticipate the future you want to see and prepare to act in ways that help bring it into being, understanding that freedom has always required participation and that each of us must find our way into the fight,” Harper said.

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Radical Reparations Fiercely Reimagines the Legacies of Black Americans; Paves Unifying Path Forward for the Nation

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For Immediate Release

January 20, 2026

LOS ANGELES – At the same time the nation is witnessing the erasure of the contributions of Black Americans, a prominent sociologist, Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter, today announced the paperback release of his seminal work, “Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of A Nation.” The groundbreaking tome echoes the spirit of Derrick Bell’s Faces at the Bottom of the Well. It offers a radical and refreshing framework on reparations, and invites us to seriously grapple with issues of justice and repair.

In celebration of the launch of the book, Hunter will headline an event at Baldwin & Co. on January 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. CST. The event is open press; interested parties may register here.

For over a century, the idea of reparations for the descendants of formerly enslaved Black Americans has divided the nation. While the iconic phrase “40 acres and a mule” encapsulates the general notion of reparations, history has proven that the damages of enslavement on the African American community remarkably transcends what plots of land or checks could repair.

In a compelling reframing of justice, Hunter reimagines reparations and defines seven types of compensation: political, intellectual, legal, economic, spatial, social, and spiritual. He developed this framework using analysis of historical documents, comparative international cases, and speculative parables.

While highlighting the insufficiency of monetary settlement alone, Hunter presents a revolutionary manifesto to achieve holistic and prolific healing for Black communities.

As a social justice pioneer, conversation shifter, and inventor of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, Hunter invites, indeed demands, us to grapple with transformative and comprehensive solutions to repair and heal the nation’s original sin. For instance, he has spoken passionately about labor acknowledgements honoring the contributions of formerly enslaved Black Americans.

Trenchant and timely, RADICAL REPARATIONS fiercely reimagines the forthcoming legacies of Black Americans and paves a unifying path forward for us all.

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Recent Victories Show Momentum for Free Child Care Growing

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For Immediate Release

PHILADELPHIA – Support for fully funded, universal child care continues to grow. Through years of grassroots organizing, parents, child care providers and advocates, are finally being heard. In November, New Mexico became the first state to offer universal child care thanks to the work of OLE NM. In New York, citizens elected a child care champion in Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani. In Ohio, advocates with The CEO Project are working with legislators to ensure child care providers have what they need to serve children and families. The advocates issued the following statement:

“Every child deserves access to high-quality child care and pre-K—and this must be a top priority for Pennsylvania,” said Tyrone Scott, Director of Government and External Affairs, First Up. “Recent victories across the country show what’s possible when communities organize. At First Up, we are committed to ensuring that every child in Pennsylvania gets the strong start they need to thrive, child care is affordable to families, and early educators are paid a living wage.”

“From Ohio to New York to New Mexico, voters are demanding child care that works for every family,” said Tamara Lunan, Organizing Director of the CEO Project. “Ohio families deserve the same—affordable, high-quality care and fair pay for the people who provide it. We’re ready for leaders who treat child care as the essential infrastructure it is.”

“Child care shows us what solidarity looks like in practice – people showing up for one another and building the conditions for liberation from the ground up. To make it truly universal is to claim it as a public good that belongs to all of us. This victory has sparked hope far beyond New York, and we intend to see that momentum grow until equity and justice are the standard everywhere,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, our Co-Executive Directors of Alliance for Quality Education New York (AQE New York). 

These wins provide much-needed fuel for parents and child care educators in other states.  For more information or to book an interview, email press@spotlightpr.org.

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