We’re living through a season of smoke and mirrors.

From claims of “big beautiful bills” that promise safety while gutting civil rights, to executive orders that obscure the truth about systemic racism, we are watching in real time as racial equity is reframed as a threat rather than a necessity. The attacks may come through policy, politics, or public messaging, but the goal is the same: to discredit, dismantle, and defund racial justice work.

In this moment, it’s not enough to resist. We must lead with a collective strategy.
Because racial equity is not a trend or a slogan. It’s a set of intentional choices made every day by people like you about who gets heard, what gets funded, and how systems are built. These choices shape lives. They shape communities. They shape futures. Now more than ever, it's increasingly important to hone and practice these skills.

That’s why we created our Decision-Making for Racial Equity (DRE) training. It’s a response to the moment we’re in and a blueprint for the future we’re fighting for.

Training Spotlight: Decision-Making for Racial Equity (DRE)

Upcoming Dates: July 22, October 8

This training is designed for those who shape policies, manage programs, lead teams, or influence systems and want to do it in ways that challenge racial inequity rather than reinforce it.

Using Race Forward’s Racial Equity Decision-Making Tool, this session will help you:

• Disrupt biased decision-making at every level
• Build a culture of transparency and accountability
• Center communities of color in outcomes
• Move from good intentions to measurable impact

This training is ideal for:

• Nonprofit and public sector leaders
• Equity practitioners and teams
• Program and policy staff
• Anyone ready to embed equity into everyday decisions

You’ll leave with a tested framework and practical strategies that you can apply immediately. The stakes are high, and how we decide what to resource, prioritize, and implement will shape outcomes for years to come.

Make Every Decision Count – Register Now

Build Your Practice with Our Full Training Lineup

Building Racial Equity (BRE)
Next sessions — September 9 and 25

A foundational training for understanding systemic racism, developing shared language, and beginning your organizational equity journey.

NOTE: This is one of two course options required to begin our Racial Equity Training Series.

Governing for Racial Equity (GRE)
Next session — September 30, December 9

Explore how public institutions can confront and transform systemic racism. GRE is designed for government professionals seeking to embed equity into policy, programs, and institutional culture.

NOTE: This is one of two course options required to begin our Racial Equity Training Series.

Power Building for Racial Equity (PRE)
Next session — October 16

Explore how power operates and learn how to build collective, liberatory power that drives systemic racial justice.

Facilitating for Racial Equity (FRE)
Next session — October 22-23

Develop the confidence and skills to lead race-explicit conversations in multiracial settings with empathy, clarity, and purpose.

What Participants Are Saying

"They were full of grace, passionate, and just knew how to meet everyone where they were. I learned so much."

Our trainings don’t just teach concepts, they shift practice, build connection, and prepare you for the real-world conditions we’re navigating right now.

Upcoming Learning Labs

Our Learning Labs are high-impact, three-hour virtual sessions designed for individuals and teams ready to sharpen their skills, deepen their analysis, and take immediate action. These labs are ideal for individuals seeking powerful learning experiences that fit seamlessly into their workday.

No prerequisites required!

Reimagining Research as a Tool for Racial Justice
September 3

Research is often framed as objective, but it has long been used to reinforce racial hierarchies and justify inequity. This Learning Lab invites participants to reclaim research as a powerful tool for racial justice, one that centers community knowledge, advances movement goals, and challenges dominant narratives that shape policy and public perception. You’ll explore anti-racist, community-driven methods to build power, design values-aligned research protocols, and use data to imagine and advance transformative solutions. Ideal for researchers, advocates, analysts, and movement builders.

Narrative Change for Racial Equity

The narratives we hear and repeat shape what we believe is possible. In the face of increasing disinformation, censorship, and culture war backlash, it’s more important than ever to reclaim narrative as a tool for racial justice.

In this Learning Lab, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify and challenge harmful dominant narratives
• Strategically craft stories that build connection and inspire action
• Use narrative to shift perceptions, build public will, and support equitable policy

Narrative Strategies That Win

If you want to dig even deeper into building your narrative skills, join us November 13-15 in St. Louis for Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity, a multi-day convening of narrative strategists, communicators, creatives, storytellers, racial justice advocates, and movement builders.

Why Now?

When the systems we’re trying to change push back, our response must be rooted in strategy, community, and conviction. Racial equity doesn’t move forward on intention alone. It takes deliberate decisions, courageous leadership, and the tools to navigate complexity without losing sight of justice.

This is your invitation to lead with purpose. To act with urgency and to build with others who refuse to back down.

Let’s shape what comes next, together. Join us.

In solidarity,

Ashley Johnson
Training Innovation Manager

Interested in customized training for your organization? Let us tailor our sessions to meet your specific needs!