Imagine a United States where all of us, across race, gender, and class, can live in vibrant, thriving neighborhoods with access to health care, quality public schools and parks, and the freedom to make our own best lives for ourselves and our families…and that begins with housing us all.

April is Fair Housing Month when we reaffirm Race Forward’s dedication to ensuring everyone has a safe, healthy place to live. 

Housing is a basic human need – it is necessary to access quality employment, education, healthcare, and social and recreational services. Our commitment to fair housing rests in the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which affords all people the right to housing free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, familial status, or disability. Today, we work to guarantee housing is affordable and sustainable. Together, we can envision a housing system wherein racial hierarchies have been eliminated.

We have published Housing Is A Basic Human Need: A Messaging Guide for Housing Justice to support tenant organizers, homeowners, community leaders with language to talk about their housing justice campaigns effectively. Within our Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), we convened a peer-to-peer Housing, Land, and Development Network of local and regional housing, planning, and community development agencies and released the Housing, Land, and Development Toolbox to guide local housing, planning, and community development agencies to collaborate with communities impacted by systemic racism. This year, through our Housing, Land, and Justice Initiative, we introduce the 2024 Housing, Land, and Justice Artist Fellows – nine artists, creatives, and culture bearers from across the country, who will uplift new narratives of housing justice through their artistic works. 

Meet Our Fellows

"What does housing and land justice look, smell, sound and/or feel like to you?"

This month Race Forward is proud to announce the nine artists who are participating in its Housing, Land, and Justice Fellowship cohort. Each artist received $20,000 to produce an original artwork or cultural production in media, visual or performance art. Their art incorporates the core narrative from the housing justice story platform published in the PolicyLink Housing Justice Narrative Toolkit.

Each fellow shared their personal definition of housing and land justice:

"Housing and land justice, to me, is about the complete freedom to live with dignity. It is being right relationship to each other as a human family, all living beings, and the earth as part of our collective liberation."

— Anu Yadav
Instagram: @anuyadavishere

Andre Jones

Andre Jones is the Executive Director of the Bay Area Mural Program. With a focus on community engagement and social justice, he has transformed public spaces into vibrant murals that tell local stories. Under his leadership, the organization has become a key player in enriching community life through art.

Instagram: @nattyrebelart

"Housing and land justice feels like joy, dignity, and safety. Housing and land justice is the right that all folks share to have access to safe and dignified places to call home. The artwork that I make invites folks to collectively imagine futures that actually benefit us, and housing justice is a building block for the joyful and healthy community I want to live in."

— Autumn Breon
Instagram: @autumnbreon

"It feels like controlling the narrative of past, present and future narratives."

— Brian Ellison
Instagram: @theblackmanproject

"we are at home in ourselves, shoulders raising arms and hands, unencumbered by trauma and regret. we are safe to touch each other's bodies, which are dreams. streams and rivers, lakes and seas nourish us through mists. work is meaningful, we are weary and waking in a passionate collective push producing what we need to survive in service. suffering, capitalism, and white supremacy live only in spooky stories about the past. we have deconstructed race and class. gender hierarchies are a pyramid built for pleasure, we slide down and climb it in rapture. institutions and monuments are dedicated to novelty and beauty. we are parents, lovers, and siblings to the land, water, sky, and our creature kin. life leaves vibrant flavours on our freedom tongues."

— Charlyn Griffith-Oro
Instagram: @_oroori_

"Housing and land justice looks and feels like C.A R.E. Which means community, accountability, restoration and equity (derived from the For Everyone Collective). Housing and less and justice smells like clean air (which we are working towards) and fresh cut flowers."

— Danielle Demetria East
Instagram: @danielledemetria

"Housing and land justice, to me, is about the complete freedom to live with dignity. It is being right relationship to each other as a human family, all living beings, and the earth as part of our collective liberation."

— Lauren Williams
Instagram: @ldubalicious

"To me, housing and land justice refers to ensuring people have safe, equitable, affordable housing, and the laws, rules and regulations associated with the aforementioned, are fair, and just."

— Nguyen E. Smith
Instagram: @bundlehouse

"Housing and land justice looks like abundance. An abundance of resources, an abundance of care, and an abundance of self-determination. When we take care of each other, we are actively working through abolitionist values to create reliable systems of support for our communities to thrive. It smells like native flowering plants once again, it sounds like cultural music coming from every direction, and hearing children and elders laughing in conversation. It looks like cherry pits on the sidewalks, and children learning how to swim at the local park, and the community garden being full of life. Housing and land justice feels like a community in love."

— Taishona Carpenter
Instagram: @highimtai

Our Latest

We’ve been talking about diversity, equity and inclusion all wrong.

Race Forward Senior Strategic Advisor Candace Moore, Esq. has always been driven by her passion for upholding fairness and justice. The first Chief Equity Officer for the City of Chicago, she knows first-hand how diversity, equity, and inclusion helps to bridge the gap between communities’ needs and their access to resources.

So why are opponents targeting DEI as a threat to our nation’s progress? Candace shares her thoughts on this and why DEI builds our strength to embrace change in her op-ed for The Grio.

Governing for Racial Justice | GARE Southern Regional Meeting
May 14-16 | Dallas, Texas

Are you a racial equity practitioner working in government or a public steward? A partner organization working in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Texas? If so, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) invites you to "Governing for Racial Justice, the Southern Regional Meeting" on May 14-16 in Dallas. This event – open to both GARE members and non-members – offers a full program of speakers, workshops, networking opportunities, and cultural activities.

Amid legislation prohibiting racial equity training and limiting DEI programs, the concept of racial equity is under attack. We've also witnessed gubernatorial assaults on critical race theory and curtailments on teaching history in school. In these important moments, your work in the South is vital. We are calling for NEW Southern Strategies. Our programming will provide attendees with the resources, tools, connections, and inspiration to strive for a just, multiracial democracy.

Code: GSRM24

Public School Strong Training – Every 2nd Tuesday!

Students, families, educators, and school board members across America are facing unprecedented attacks from far-right extremists who want to dismantle our public schools.

But if we show up, speak out, and make our voices heard, we can take back the momentum.

H.E.A.L. Together kicked off the Public School Strong campaign with a monthly training series to give public school parents, family members, educators and supporters from across the country the tools they need to show up and effectively push school districts to promote, protect, and strengthen our public schools.

Join the next #PublicSchoolStrong training on Tuesday, May 14.

Public school parents, family members, educators and supporters from across the country will learn:

• How to show your support for well-resourced and inclusive public schools
• What to look for in your districts' school board meetings
• How to form a Public School Strong team in your school district
• Ways to join a national movement to protect and transform public schools that serve all children

Once you attend a Public School Strong training and take the pledge to show up to your local school board meetings, you will be mailed a Public School Strong t-shirt! You will also be given access to toolkits, talking points, deeper trainings, and more to help you build the movement for honest, equitable, and fully funded public schools in your district.

Vendor/Exhibit Opportunities Now Available!

Reach Facing Race's 4,000 attendees through our vendor and exhibitor opportunities. 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. 

Our commitment remains centered on businesses and organizations led by people of color. We are dedicated to 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.

Join us in fostering an inclusive and empowering space at Facing Race. Learn more about rates and apply by August 1.

Calling All St. Louis Creatives!

Facing Race is this nation’s largest, intergenerational racial justice conference. This year’s conference will be held November 20-22, in St. Louis. We are seeking talented artists, culture bearers, and a videographer for the following opportunities:

Filmmakers Wanted

Are you a talented filmmaker passionate about using your craft to amplify voices and stories that promote racial justice and equity? Do you believe in the power of visual storytelling to spark meaningful conversations and drive social change? Then Facing Race is looking for you!

Honoring St. Louis' Indigenous History

Create a one-of-a-kind art installation that celebrates the St. Louis region's Indigenous resilience, history, and excellence. This is a unique opportunity to amplify Indigenous voices and narratives and uplift the original stewards of this region. This installation will be featured throughout Facing Race.

Uplifting BIPOC Artists

Facing Race is curating an art gallery that reflects St. Louis' rich history of racial justice. We seek to feature works from local BIPOC artists to show attendees the best Greater St. Louis has to offer.

Facing Race offers several ways to get involved. Don't forget about these opportunities!

Scholarships
Applications Due September 1

Volunteers
Applications Due August 1

Sponsorship
See What Options Work for You

Racial Equity Training Series

Take a powerful step towards dismantling systemic racism. Our Racial Equity Training Series is a collection of interactive sessions to help you deepen your understanding of key racial equity concepts and tools.

Here’s a look at what’s coming up:

Building Racial Equity — May 7

This foundational course explains racial justice values and vision, defines key concepts of racial justice and racism, and emphasizes opportunities to challenge and change institutional racial inequities.

Decision-Making for Racial Equity — May 21

This engaging training uses Race Forward's Racial Equity Decision-making Tool (RED Tool) to guide participants through building an organization-wide racial equity decision-making practice and culture that centers communities and community members who will be most impacted by the decisions.

Prerequisite: Building Racial Equity

Governing for Racial Equity — May 22

Designed for those working within government, this interactive training, which includes facilitated discussion, exercises, and video, provides an introduction to the role, responsibilities and opportunities for government to advance racial equity by focusing on normalizing racial equity as a core value; operationalizing racial equity through new policies and institutional practice; and organizing for racial equity, both internally and in partnership with other institutions and the community.

Facilitating Racial Equity — June 17-18

Facilitating Racial Equity gives a behind-the-scenes view of how racial equity workshops are structured, built, and delivered. From this training, participants will be more familiar with the practice of equity-focused facilitation, naming social dynamics, and guiding group learning and designing a learning experience.

Prerequisite: Building Racial Equity

Services for Organizations

Race Forward is committed to transformational, sustainable change for racial justice. We provide services to help organizations develop and advance racially equitable policies and practices.

Our services are developed and delivered by a multiracial and multigenerational team of experts with extensive knowledge and experience in various areas, including policy and program development, leadership development and strategic coaching, community organizing, and racial equity.

ICYMI: We’re on Threads!

To meet the changing landscape of social media, Race Forward is now active on Threads, a new social media channel to further the conversation on racial equity in the US. You can start your own Threads profile through your Instagram account.

We hope your April has been one of celebration and progress. Visit raceforward.org to learn more about our work. 

In solidarity,
Team Race Forward