This Black August we are reflecting on the ways this moment is familiar and also very different from past moments in our history. Across this country we are experiencing power grabs, illegal detainments, and retribution politics as the country moves closer to authoritarian rule.

And, we are reminded of the words of Maya Angelou in her poem “America”:

The gold of her promise
 has never been mined

Her borders of justice
 not clearly defined

We also look to the words of Langston Hughes, who calls America “The land that has never been yet” and declares that “We, the people, must redeem the land, the mines, the plants, the rivers, the mountains and the endless plain” if we hope to see “A land where every man is free.”

What we are experiencing now is what many of our elders and ancestors knew “back then.” This country has never fulfilled its promise of “liberty and justice for all,” and now, in a most egregious manner, seeks to serve a powerful few at the expense of the most vulnerable.

Despite this reality, so many of us continue to fight for true justice—care and consideration for our neighbors, right relationship with and stewardship of the land that cares for us.

At Race Forward, we are proud that our racial justice training series follows in this lineage of truth-telling as resistance. Our training provides political education, solidarity strategies, and practical tools for our movements to build collective power. We design learning spaces where people can connect to build a better world. And in a time when we need those connections more than ever, we hope that you will join us at one of our sessions below.

Training Spotlight: Learning Labs

Reimagining Research as a Tool for Racial Justice
September 3, 1 pm ET | 12 pm CT | 10 am PT (3 Hours)

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.

Narrative Change for Racial Equity
September 10, 1 pm ET | 12 pm CT | 10 am PT (3 Hours)

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

Whether you're a communicator, strategist, facilitator, or organizer, this lab will equip you to reshape how people understand race and equity, and what they believe can be done about it.

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.

Decision-Making for Racial Equity (DRE)
Next session — October 8

Learn to use Race Forward’s Racial Equity Decision-Making Tool to make values-aligned, race-conscious decisions in your workplace or program.

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

"By far the best virtual training I’ve ever had. For someone who is introverted, the format really helped me engage without overwhelm."

Building Narrative Power

From the Freedom Songs of the Civil Rights Movement to storytelling from the Indigenous Land Back Movements to the murals of the Black Lives Matter movement, cultural organizing has always been central to advancing justice.

Today, we face coordinated efforts to control narratives, erase histories of resistance, and suppress our voices. Our response must be equally coordinated. Join us for these upcoming narrative power-building opportunities.

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.

Narrative Strategies That Win

If you want to dig even deeper into building your narrative skills, join us for this multi-day convening of narrative strategists, communicators, creatives, storytellers, racial justice advocates, and movement builders.

Even in the face of backlash, we will continue to build.

The movement for racial justice continues, and we are stronger together. Join us for a training this fall to connect and create new strategies for resistance.

In solidarity,

Ashley Johnson
Training Innovation Manager

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