After generations of struggle and sacrifice, a democracy that truly works for our multiracial nation remains a beautiful yet unfulfilled dream. Strengthening democracy requires us to build people’s faith in government and the potential for collective action to meet shared needs and improve real outcomes in people’s lives. As advocates for a world where all communities thrive, we believe co-governance is a promising strategy, even in this moment of attacks on racial equity and civil rights. 

Co-governance—a practice through which community and government work together to build collective power to solve a shared problem—is increasingly highlighted as a way to create solutions that work for community members most impacted by structural racism. While the dominant narrative tells us this strategy can’t work, we know the power of communities and government coming together for the greater good is what drives transformative change.

For communities of color, working with local government is complex. There is a need to both name and heal from historical harms that have been perpetuated by state actions, while also reclaiming our entitlement to be protected and supported by the democratic institutions we empower. As communities grapple with increasingly complex challenges, anything from systemic violence to natural disaster recovery,  we can’t lose sight that governance is still our aim. 

We want systems that protect those most vulnerable to harm and provide our communities with what they need to flourish. To get there, we need to tap into the collective power of our communities who are organizing for change and our governing institutions who have been working toward internal transformation. Together, through co-governance strategies, there is the potential to build more dynamic and resilient solutions than is possible in isolation. Building this solidarity at the local level is key to driving toward a more just world. 

Interested, but wondering how to build an impactful co-governance strategy? This is why we are proud to launch Race Forward’s Co-Governance Tool for a Multiracial Democracy. Join us and our friends at Partners for Dignity and Rights on August 13 at 3pm ET l 2pm CT l 1pm MT l 12pm PT for a special #RaceAnd Democracy webinar. You’ll learn more about how co-governance can be an effective strategy—even now—and hear lessons from local leaders grappling with some of today’s most challenging issues and finding the real power in co-governance strategies. 

We hope you will join us to learn more about how we can implement this promising strategy.

In solidarity,

Glenn Harris
Race Forward President

What's New?

Co-Governance Tool for a Multiracial Democracy

Co-governance has emerged as a valuable concept for those working towards justice by aiming to transform processes and outcomes. While reports and studies on cross-sector organizing and policymaking exist and continue to be developed, there is a need for more practical resources that support questions of implementation, such as:

• How do we build relationships across sectors?
• How do we govern together?
• How do we share power in decision-making?
• How do we design productive meetings that move the work forward?
• How do we navigate challenges and conflicts?
• How do we hold our collective accountable?

Race Forward’s new “Co-Governance Tool for a Multiracial Democracy” aims to help practitioners answer these questions by offering guidance and resources to support leaders in government and communities as they design structures, relationships, and agreements for successful cross-sector collaboration and equitable outcomes. We draw on our own decades of learning and also highlight shared wisdom from many partners across our field. Our goal is that this new tool guides practitioners through a design process that results in a stronger civic infrastructure to drive change that improves conditions and outcomes for all of our communities.

State of the Field: A Snapshot of Racial Equity in Government

What does it take to embed racial equity into the daily work of government - and sustain it?

GARE's latest release, State of the Field: A Snapshot of Racial Equity in Government, offers a comprehensive view of the current landscape of racial equity work in government, grounded in the experiences of practitioners across the country. Drawing on survey data from 169 government staff and interviews with 20 frontline equity leaders, this resource examines what’s working, what’s changing, and where targeted support is most needed.

Designed to meet the needs of practitioners in operationalizing equity, the report includes:

• Detailed survey analysis on resource allocation, political will, and implementation challenges
• Rich qualitative insights on how equity leaders are navigating shifting institutional dynamics
• An integrated synthesis of trends across data sources - highlighting emerging strategies in community engagement, narrative change, and cross-sector collaboration
• Strategic recommendations for local governments, peer organizations, and philanthropic partners

State of the Field also raises critical questions in the field, including the tension between centralized and decentralized approaches, and the infrastructure needed for long-term success.

Whether you are implementing racial equity work inside government, supporting it from the outside, or investing in its future, this report offers key learnings to inform your next steps - and drive our collective progress.

What's Next?

#RaceAnd Democracy: Co-Governance Tool to Reinforce our Multiracial Society — Wednesday, August 13

As federal attacks on equity and democracy intensify, co-governance presents a transformative alternative. Rooted in collective leadership and trust, it empowers communities most affected by systemic racism to exercise real decision-making power.

Join Race Forward’s Place-Based Strategies team for the launch of the Co-Governance Tool for a Multiracial Democracy: a new resource to help community and government leaders build structures that share power, center racial equity, and move us closer to a democracy that works for all.

This is the first in a series of RaceAnd conversations, introducing the tool and offering space for practitioners, organizers, and public leaders to explore its real-world applications.  Co-sponsored with our friends at Partners for Dignity and Rights, we will be joined by leaders from different communities who will share the power co-governing can have on some of the biggest challenges we face. This event will set the stage for an upcoming Learning Lab this fall.

In this webinar, you’ll hear about:

• What co-governance is and how to use it toward racial justice.
• How this current moment calls for us to strengthen local solidarity
• Key questions that should be considered when building co-governing “tables”
• Stories from local communities that highlight the power of co-governance to address significant challenges

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Weavers Lab for Solidarity Narratives — Apply by Friday, August 22

Race Forward is excited to announce the Weavers Lab for Solidarity Narratives, a year-long cohort experience designed to strengthen how we build narrative power to advance solidarity and racial justice. The learning lab will involve an iterative process for organizations to design and implement narrative strategies that build clarity, cohesion, and solidarity necessary for transformative change.

For one year, we will engage a multiracial and multi-issue cohort of 8-12 organizations, each bringing at least two representatives, that are working to advance racial justice and solidarity through a narrative strategy. Cohort participants will receive training, coaching, and relationship-building opportunities with peers and experts in the narrative, racial justice, and solidarity space. Cohort members will also attend Race Forward’s signature conferences: Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity 2025 (November 13-15) and Facing Race 2026 (mid-November). The cohort will officially start in October 2025 and end November 2026.

The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, August 22. Visit our FAQs page and our information package to learn more about this opportunity.

Announcing Our Keynote

Race Forward is honored to announce our keynote speaker, Alok, an internationally acclaimed poet, comedian, public speaker, artist, and actor whose work sits at the powerful intersection of creative expression and movement building.

Alok brings brilliance that transcends boundaries. Their artistry reminds us that narrative change isn't only about the stories we tell—it's about who gets to tell them, how those stories are told, and how they shape our worldview, policies, and practices.

Alok's keynote at Just Narratives will ignite our collective imagination as we build narrative power strong enough to overcome the forces working to divide us by race, class, geography, gender expression, and more. Their words will galvanize our community as we develop strategies to effectively tell stories that can transform policies, systems, and culture.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Alok’s powerful keynote and join a community of strategists, storytellers, creatives, and movement leaders committed to strengthening our narrative ecosystem in the face of rising authoritarianism.

Learning Lab: Reimagining Research for Racial Justice — Wednesday, September 3

Join us on September 3 for a three-hour interactive workshop where we’ll examine how traditional research practices have reinforced oppression. Together, we’ll explore liberatory frameworks that center  racial equity, grassroots experimentation, and community-driven power building. This session is designed for equity practitioners, organizers, public sector leaders, and anyone seeking to realign their data practices with justice.

You’ll walk away with strategies to center community needs, design values-based research protocols, and move from data to action.

Supporting Small Businesses and Black Women’s Economic Power

Did you know nearly 300,000 Black women left or were pushed out of the labor force in the last three months? Economists attribute this mass exodus to federal job cuts that disproportionately affect Black women, rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, mounting student loan debt, and broader policy shifts. This trend not only impacts Black women—many of whom are primary breadwinners for their families—but creates significant ripple effects throughout our economy and undermines our shared prosperity.

Many Black women continue to forge their own paths through entrepreneurship. This Labor Day, consider supporting Black women entrepreneurship and small businesses. St. Louis, host to our 2024 Facing Race conference and the upcoming Just Narratives convening, has been significantly impacted by a recent tornado and persistent economic hardship.

Support their recovery efforts by participating in or connecting with vendors at Frizz Fest, the region's largest natural beauty festival, happening September 20.

Take Action

We Make History Everyday

Racial justice isn't history. Racial justice is happening every day.

Shop online at our new store and choose from an array of products like shirts, water canteens, hats, and sweaters. No matter the weather, we make history together!

Subscribe to The Fire We Face Newsletter

The Fire We Face is a newsletter for those committed to protecting democracy, racial equity, and public service in the face of systemic threats. As we monitor the Trump Administration’s embrace of Project 2025 and other anti-democratic, racist initiatives, The Fire We Face will document actions targeting federal agencies and civil servants striving to serve the public equitably. Through in-depth analysis, reflections, and tangible examples, this newsletter aims to empower readers with the knowledge to understand and navigate these challenges.

Follow us on Bluesky!

Given the current political climate and our declining engagement on Twitter, we have made the decision to remain inactive on Twitter until further notice.

To keep the conversation going, we encourage you to join us on Bluesky. Be a part of an ever-growing network of racial justice advocates as we continue to share engaging content that moves the needle to a just, multiracial democracy.

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.