FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Rebekah Spicuglia
[email protected]
646-490-2772

Facing Race National Conference Announces Key Speakers
Conference to be held in Dallas, TX November 13-15, 2014

May 15, 2014 (New York, NY) – In a media briefing today in Dallas, TX, national racial justice organization Race Forward announced key speakers and details for the upcoming Facing Race National Conference. Local partner Dallas Faces Race highlighted local Dallas engagement in preparation for the conference and long-term racial equity capacity building.

“Racial inequity is a national issue and occurs across the country. Our desire to create an equitable and just society unites us all beyond any local and/or regional differences we may have,” said Rinku Sen, President of Race Forward. “We appreciate our partnership with Dallas Faces Race, which has allowed us to incorporate local and regional needs, desires, and realities in the planning of our Facing Race national conference.”

Facing Race: A National Conference is presented by Race Forward and will be held in Dallas, TX, November 13 – 15, 2014. Facing Race is for people from all walks of life who desire to build awareness of racial equity, identify solutions, and come together with people who share a passion for racial justice. Facing Race welcomes people of all ages, races, ethnicities, occupations, sexual orientation, gender identity, faith, and political ideology. Announcements included:

• Key presenters:
  • Van Jones, President and Co-Founder of Rebuild the Dream, former White House advisor on green jobs, best-selling author and CNN host
  • Ai-Jen Poo, Director of the Domestic Workers Alliance, co-director of Caring Across Generations
  • Deon Haywood, Executive Director of Women With a Vision
• Conference Tracks: "Arts, Culture & Media," "Organizing, Advocacy & Activism," and "Research & Policy." Research and Policy Workshops will be presented by Race Forward in collaboration with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity.
• Plenary Topics: "With Shifting Demographics, Will the Kids be Alright?" "Racial Justice History & Future in the South," "The Next 50." The final plenary will be presented by multiple speakers through a series of short-form presentations.
• Workshops to include the following subjects:
• Dreaming Change: Collective Visionary Storytelling Innovating for Health Equity in Dallas
• Engaging White People in Racial Justice
• The Abortion/Adoption Nexus in Conservative Politics
• Marijuana, Racism, and the Future of Reform
• Moving Foundations Toward Racial Justice Grantmaking
• The New Economy: A Long-Term Structural Reform Strategy for Racial Equity
• Moving From “Ratchet Baby Mamas” and “Thugs” Toward a Transformed Media Landscape
• Criminal Records and Employment

Race Forward will  announce this year’s keynote speaker in late May 2014. Previous keynote speakers included Junot Díaz, Melissa Harris-Perry, Sherman Alexie, Walter Mosley, Tavis Smiley.

Early bird discounted registration is available until May 31 with code “FR14Welcome.” Facing Race press passes are available as well.  Please contact Rebekah Spicuglia at [email protected] to RSVP. For more information on the conference visit facingrace.raceforward.org.

Facing Race local funders include the Embrey Family Foundation, The Boone Family Foundation and the Dallas Women’s Foundation. National funders include the Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

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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