Keynote Speaker

We are honored and excited to announce that Prentis Hemphill (they/them) will be the keynote speaker for the 2025 St. Louis Racial Equity Summit.

Prentis is a political organizer and was the Healing Justice Director at Black Lives Matter Global Network. They are the author of What It Takes To Heal and an expert embodiment practitioner who has partnered with Brené Brown and Esther Perel, among others. Their work focuses on dismantling systems of oppression and fostering inclusive communities. With a deep understanding of intersectionality, Hemphill has a remarkable ability to connect with diverse audiences and has worked with individuals and organizations to navigate leadership transitions, support community accountability, and inspire transformation.

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What It Takes To Heal

Prepare for the St. Louis Racial Equity Summit by reading What It Takes To Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World. As we emerge from the past few years of collective upheaval, are we ready to face the complexities of our time with joy, authenticity, and connection? Now more than ever, we must learn to heal ourselves, connect with one another, and embody our values.

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About

Photo by Artists Media Co-op

The 2025 St. Louis Racial Equity Summit will be hosted by Forward Through Ferguson on August 8-9, 2025 at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Forward Through Ferguson is excited to host the fourth biennial St. Louis Racial Equity Summit. As the founder of the Summit and an anti-racist systems change organization, we are committed to preserving the legacy of the Ferguson uprising. We aim to ensure that the Ferguson Commission's 189 calls to action are not forgotten. We look forward to convening hundreds of advocates in-person and online to exchange ideas, insights, and perspectives on ways to transform the St. Louis region into a racially equitable place to live and thrive. Learn more and stay updated at racialequitystl.org, by following @stlchange on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Threads), and subscribing to Forward Through Ferguson’s newsletter.

We have designed the St. Louis Racial Equity Summit as a platform to elevate, connect, and activate the people, practices, and resources necessary to achieve Racial Equity in the St. Louis region. There will be individual presentations, interactive workshops, and moderated panels for people at all levels: from beginners in this work, to nonprofit leaders, to seasoned organizers.

Transforming Towards Equity

Consistent with Forward Through Ferguson’s A Path to Racial Equity Model, the Summit seeks to advance the following goals:

1) Awareness of Inequity: To engage participants in building their awareness of systemic inequities that exist in the region–from education to housing to healthcare and beyond.

2) Understanding of Why Inequity Exists: To help participants gain an understanding of the systemic issues at hand and build a plan for how to address them, by exposing them to successful tactics in St. Louis and other regions.

3) Transforming Towards Equity: To lean into the culture of trying and brainstorming new action strategies. We will look to local leaders of color for thought-partnership on dismantling structural inequities.

Click to download A Path to Racial Equity Model

Click each icon to learn about the signature priorities.

Signature Priorities

The Summit also aims to advance Forward Through Ferguson's signature priorities, as outlined by the Ferguson Commission:

Justice for All,

Youth at the Center,

Opportunity to Thrive,

and Racial Equity.

These signature priorities serve as the themes and guideposts for the Summit, which we hope will deepen and nurture the radical collaboration and imagination that this moment requires of us.

Photo by Vernique May / Brand V. Photographie

Summit Organizers

The 2025 St. Louis Racial Equity Summit is hosted and organized by Forward Through Ferguson and the Community Advisory Committee, which is made up of St. Louis-based residents with experience in grassroots organizing, community event planning, justice and education.

Call for Volunteers

It takes a village to pull off a Summit! That's where you come in. We're seeking volunteers to offer 4 hours of their time to make sure that the Summit is a welcoming and engaging experience for the hundreds of Racial Equity advocates who will be gathering together on August 8-9, 2025 at UMSL. Volunteers will receive complimentary food, drink, swag, and parking as well as discounted volunteer registration for $25 access to the Summit. Please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form to be considered.

Volunteer Interest Form

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