Facing Race is the nation’s largest multiracial, intergenerational racial justice conference. This biennially, one-of-a-kind space serves as a vital intersection where community organizers, activists, and movement makers converge to build power and strategies to advance racial justice. The conference provides attendees unprecedented access to resources, information, and collaborative opportunities geared towards advancing racial equity for all.
Over its 15-year legacy, Race Forward has consistently delivered this transformative experience, highlighting places like North Carolina, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Baltimore, Berkeley, and New York. The 2024 chapter of Facing Race is gearing up to be an unforgettable and cup-filling event.
We are gathering over 4,000 attendees at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri, from Wednesday, November 20th through Friday, November 22nd, 2024. While the 2022 event was in-person and online, the 2024 edition returns to our original in-person experience. We recognize the unparalleled value of personal interactions and are committed to facilitating a safe and accessible in-person event. This approach not only fosters deeper connections among attendees but also allows us to immerse our audience in our host city's vibrant culture and history.
Our choice of location is intentional: St. Louis, which stands as a testament to resilience, innovation, and community spirit. By gathering in Missouri, we aim to amplify these themes, grounding our discussions in the fabric of a city that encapsulates much of what we advocate for at Facing Race.
Interested in a Scholarship to Attend The Facing Race Conference?!
Here’s How It Works
- Scholarships are awarded based on need and individual and/or organizational commitment to racial justice.
- Please note: if a scholarship is awarded, confirmation to attend and application processing fee must be made within two weeks of being awarded the scholarship. If we do not receive these within 2 weeks, we will offer the scholarship to applicants on the waiting list. Failure to adhere to the guidelines will impact your eligibility to qualify for future Facing Race National Conference scholarships.
- Resources are limited, so we recommend applying as soon as possible. You will receive a confirmation once your request is received and scholarship decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Because we have limited funding, we cannot guarantee that all requests can be granted.
- If you are part of a nonprofit organization, we encourage you to contact one of your funders to see if they provide support for grantees to attend conferences like this one. For some grassroots fundraising tips, visit Grassroots Fundraising Journal
- Scholarship recipients are required to do the following upon acceptance of a full or partial conference registration scholarship:
- Write a brief thank you note at the Conference to the donor(s). Sharing a reflection on how attending the conference with impact your work in your community, organization or school.
- Assist Race Forward with promoting the conference through social media and other outlets.
- Facing Race will take place November 20th-22nd 2024.
What’s Covered?
We offer partial and full registration scholarships. Due to limited resources and in the interest of providing financial assistance to as many people as possible, we cannot cover any travel or lodging costs at this time.
Eligibility:
- Demonstrated commitment to Racial Justice and Equity.
- Low-income people, people of color, immigrants, limited mobilities (physical or otherwise), trans-identified and people with diverse gender identities, and young adults are encouraged to apply.
Application and Confirmation
The Facing Race Team will confirm your participation as a scholar via email. Once you receive confirmation from the Facing Race Team, scholars must register on Cvent. Instructions will be shared by the planning team.
Applications are open on a rolling basis until funds are no longer available.
For any questions, please reach out to facingrace@raceforward.org
We are excited to invite vendors to submit their applications to participate in the Facing Race conference, taking place in St. Louis, MO, from November 20th to 22nd, 2024.
As always, our commitment remains centered on businesses and organizations led by people of color. This year, we are reaffirming our dedication by partnering specifically with vendors whose entities are owned, operated, or serve Black, Indigenous, people of color, and individuals who are trans-identified and/or non-binary.
This year the Facing Race Vendor/Exhibition Hall will be curated in partnership with St. Louis nonprofit Frizzy By Nature. This local business hosts Frizz Fest, a natural beauty festival aimed to encourage self-love and inspire confidence among women.
Join us in fostering an inclusive and empowering space at Facing Race. We look forward to receiving your applications!
Offerings:
Booths: $1550
- Three (3) tables - 30x30 area
Single Table: $550
- One (1) table - 10 x10 area
Half Table: $250 (Limited availability. First come, first served.)
- Half (½) of a table, is to be shared with another vendor.
Bag Insert: $300 - Share your work with all Conference attendees!
Material Count should be between 3k-4k.
Please note bag inserts are not included with table offerings.
- Grassroot/Artist Rate: $200
Includes:
- Two (2) Conference registrations for the three-day event
- Grants the vendor and one (1) additional support person access to the Facing Race Vendor/Exhibition Hall.
- Table(s) included based in table choice
- Two (2) chairs per table
- Technical support for setup and troubleshooting support throughout the Conference
- Additional conference registration at a 15% discount (optional)
Timeline:
- Set-up Day: Tuesday, November 19th (Set Up Times will be provided at a later date)
- Optional Vendor Day: Wednesday, November 20th from 12pm to 4pm; (please confirm with us if you would be interested in vending starting Nov 20th) *no additional cost
- Vendor Day: Thursday, November 21st from 8am to 6pm
- Vendor Day: Friday, November 22nd from 8am to 4pm
Requirements:
- Bring additional helpers for assistance
- Supply a substantial amount of products/material
- One business per Vendor Booth (unless purchasing a half table)
- Product pricing must be on display at vendor booth
- Credit/Debit Card payment must be accepted
Please Note:
- Product shipping and storage details will be provided at a later date
- Vendor Fee will not be refunded for any cancellations or no shows.
- Facing Race will take place rain or shine, no refunds will be issued due to weather.
- Facing Race, Frizzy By Nature, LLC and/or any member of the organizations staff are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items.
RESERVATION DEADLINE:
The reservation deadline is October 18, 2024.
A Facing Race team member will contact you in August with confirmation on participation and full details for payment and additional event details.
CONTACT:
exhibitions@raceforward.org
Use Subject: Facing Race 2024 VENDORS
Vendors who are selected will be contacted directly by the Exhibits Team.
If you are interested in conference bag inserts, please email the Facing Race team at Facingrace@raceforward.org with the subject line: “FR24 Bag Insert”.
Facing Race 2024 Breakout Session Application
Facing Race is a multiracial, multi-issue, intergenerational conference that underscores campaigns, projects, research, and art, promoting systemic solutions to racial justice challenges. At Facing Race, attendees receive the tools and knowledge to dismantle systemic racism in their communities.
For 2024, we are welcoming in-person proposals for engaging 90-minute breakout sessions. These sessions can manifest in various formats, such as film screenings, panel discussions, hands-on art projects, or skill-building.
Each breakout session can accommodate up to two presenters and is designed for an audience ranging from 45 to 75 attendees.
* Please read all sections in their entirety*
2024 Facing Race "Our Power, Our Solutions"
Our 2024 theme underscores the strength of unity. By harnessing our collective power, we can find and enact solutions to dismantle systemic racism. As we convene in St. Louis, we honor its rich legacy of activism, particularly the Movement for Black Lives. Let St. Louis' story of transformation guide your sessions, spotlighting the immense power communities have when they come together for change.
Tracks to Consider for Your Session:
- Power to Organize: Focus on the strategies and successes in building the collective power of communities of color to advance racial justice.
- Power to Transform Institutions: Delve into the steps and strategies to embed racial equity within institutional decision-making processes and policies, reshaping public sectors for the better.
- Power to Shape Narrative: Engage with tools and strategies that craft stories that challenge racial stereotypes and promote unity.
As you design your breakout session, we encourage you to integrate these core elements into your presentations, ensuring they resonate with our overarching theme and tracks.
Presenter Scholarship: For Facing Race 2024, Race Forward will cover two nights of lodging on November 20th & 21st, 2024. Each pair of presenters will be accommodated in a double occupancy room. Please be advised that presenters will be responsible for their own travel- ground transportation and flight costs. We encourage all potential presenters to consider this when submitting their applications and making arrangements to participate.
Breakout Session Design Elements:
When crafting your proposal, consider the following checklist to ensure your session aligns with the goals and values of Facing Race:
- Participatory: Ensure your workshop is interactive, promoting two-way communication between participants and presenters and incorporating engaging hands-on activities.
- Practical: Equip participants with tangible tools, skills, and concepts they can implement.
- Systemic Analysis: Engage facilitators and participants in examining systems of power and racism's structural dimensions, bringing to light root causes and contributing factors.
- Solutions-Oriented: Provide actionable, equitable solutions to modify systems, reallocate power, and promote racial equity.
- Action-Oriented: Link the workshop to active campaigns, grassroots community organizing, and contemporary movement-building endeavors.
- Multiracial and Intersectional: Ensure facilitators possess a multiracial and intersectional perspective, even if focusing on a specific racial group. We also recommend a multiracial team of facilitators.
- Intergenerational: Ensure the content resonates with youth and adults, emphasizing multi-generational strategies.
- Narrative Change: Contribute to crafting and amplifying stories that challenge conventional narratives about race; emphasize the dignity, vision, and leadership of POC, especially Black and Indigenous individuals; spotlight the ramifications of systemic racism in conjunction with other oppressions; and underscore the universal advantages of racial justice.
Breakout Sessions We DON'T Encourage:
- Lectures or academic paper presentations.
- Sessions centered mainly on the personal and interpersonal dynamics of racism.
- Workshops that prioritize “diversity” training, cultural competency, cross-racial dialogues, and multi-cultural awareness, or that stress training models over actionable strategies.
- Sessions by national entities without a tangible connection to grassroots communities.
- Sessions are devoid of solution-oriented content.
- Proposals by individuals who aren't affiliated with or accountable to social justice organizations or communities.