Race Forward Names Everette R. Thompson Vice President of Movement Capacity Building
Thompson brings more than 20 years experience in community organizing and campaign development to the organization
Monday, February 6, 2023….Race Forward announced today that Everette R. Thompson has been named interim Vice President of Movement Capacity Building. In this critical role for the organization, Thompson will provide strategic leadership for Race Forward’s Movement Capacity Building initiatives, including community partnerships and issue campaigns, network building, policy, and other efforts to support a movement for racial justice. As a member of the organization’s Senior Leadership Team, he will also guide organizational priorities.
“It is exciting to have Everette join Race Forward at this time when we are seeing the power of community organizing and movements in effecting policy change,” said Glenn Harris, President of Race Forward. “In addition to more than 20 years of non-profit, organizing ,and cross-movement leadership expertise, Everette is a purveyor of joy, which is much needed in movement spaces today as we face some of the most daunting challenges of our times.”
Thompson brings to Race Forward expertise in the areas of campaign development, strategy and implementation; holistic leadership development; intersectional organizing; institutional alliance building; political assessment; campaign communications; and leading, building, and managing teams.
“History has taught us that we each can choose to be active in creating a more just world,” stated Thompson. “By joining Race Forward, I am excited to increase the organization’s ability to infuse the art of creativity and the science of courage to craft leaders across all sectors who have the will to lead with love and rigor. I look forward to bridging the brilliance of civil society and government in service to liberation and care.”
Dedicating his career to strengthening people and organizational infrastructure, Thompson has served in both secular organizations and faith-based institutions. His experience includes serving as the Regional Director of Amnesty International USA’s Southern Regional Office, where he worked on abolishing the death penalty in a region comprising eleven states in the Southeastern U.S, also known as the “death belt;” as the National Field Director for the Rights Working Group, a national coalition of over 300 community-based groups and policy organizations dedicated to ending racial and bias profiling across the country; as Political Education and Spiritual Sustenance Specialist at the Unitarian Universalist Association; and as the National Justice and Equity Coordinator for 350.org, an international climate change organization.
Most recently, Thompson served as the Purveyor of Joy and Movement Infrastructure Architect at Grits and Greens, LLC. He is also a trainer with Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (B.O.L.D.), a national training intermediary focused on transforming the practice of Black organizers in the US.
Thompson holds a bachelor of arts in English and a bachelor of science in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University (Durham, NC) and a master of arts degree. in Nonprofit Leadership and Development from the University of Delaware (Newark, DE). Currently a master of divinity candidate at Eden Theological Seminary, Everette enjoys cheese grits (only cheese goes in grits) with his husband and sun/son Elijah.
Everette succeeds Vina Kay in this role, who after nearly four years, is leaving the organization as of February 10, for another opportunity.
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About Race Forward
Race Forward was founded in 1981 and brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity. Working to build community and narrative power, Race Forward strives to advance racial equity across all sections. Race Forward is home to the Government Alliance on Race and Equity and Colorlines.