I’m Eric K. Ward, Executive Vice President at Race Forward. I wanted to share with you some of the things that have given me hope in these challenging times.  

Last month, more than 4,200 people—leaders, organizers, and advocates—came together in St. Louis, Missouri, from November 20-22 for the Facing Race conference. They traveled from every corner of the country to stand together and double down on their commitment to racial justice. At a time of political upheaval, this wasn’t just a conference. It was a proclamation: we’re not giving up. We’re pushing harder.

Moments like this remind me why I do this work—and why I know we can win. Race Forward has been at this for over four decades, working shoulder to shoulder with community partners, organizers, and government institutions. We’ve faced setbacks—plenty of them—but we’ve always come out stronger. And that strength? It’s because of people like you.

Because of you, we’ve directed millions of dollars to grassroots organizations that are the backbone of racial justice. We’ve trained hundreds of thousands of people, not just to talk about racism, but to confront and dismantle it. We’ve built a network of government leaders who are embedding racial equity into policies that change lives.

This work isn’t easy. But we’re not in it for easy. We’re in it for justice. And with you by our side, we’ll keep showing up together.

While we cannot deny the added pressures on our work, we know that justice lies at the end of this arc. 

5 Things to Manage Project 2025 Anxiety:

1. Start a monthly contribution
2. Register for a racial equity training
3. Read Race Forward’s Project 2025 Toolkit
4. Subscribe to Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
5. Join our community!
1. Stay tuned for Facing Race 2026
2. Bring GARE to your city

Thank you for your support of Race Forward. Your commitment helps us advance equity in our institutions and our culture.

Sincerely,

Eric K. Ward

Executive Vice President, Race Forward