The Urban League of Rochester is pleased to announce the full schedule of sessions and keynotes for the inaugural 2020 Virtual INTERRUPT RACISM Summit, presented by JPMorgan Chase & Co., taking place October 20-21, 2020 from 9 AM-4 PM EST. Tickets are available NOW for one or both days of the Summit.

The Summit uses cutting-edge technology from Bevy to create a first-of-its-kind, immersive learning experience for youth and adults, uniquely designed for attendees to join together to INTERRUPT RACISM. Learn more about the event on the official Summit page.

DAY 1: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2020

Note that all times are listed in EST. Click on the name of any presentation to learn more about the session.

Day 1 Welcome Session (8:45 am): Dr. Seanelle Hawkins (Urban League of Rochester)

Opening Keynote (9 am): Marc Morial (National Urban League)

Session 1 (10-10:45 am): Resistance and Restorative Practices

• 1A) Racist Policy and Resistance in Rochester

  • Presenter: Shane Wiegand

• 1B) Restorative Practices: Dismantling Systems of Oppression and Creating Communities of Belonging

  • Presenters: Mahreen Mustafa George & Daniel Redic

• 1C) Stand Up for What's Right: Anti-Black Police Bias

  • Presenter: Shanique Byrd & Dr. Gayle Harrison

Session 2 (10:50- 11:35 am): Unmasking the Impacts of White Supremacy

• 2A) The Doctrine of Discovery and the Continuing Legacy of White Supremacy

  • Presenter: Rev. Dr. William Huston Wilkinson

• 2B) Beyond Imposter Syndrome: Interrupting Internalized Racial Oppression

  • Presenter: Jasmine Fluker

• 2C) How Our Racist Habits Create the Value Gap and How We Can Make a Change

  • Presenter: Greg Galemore

Session 3 (11:40 am- 12:25 pm): What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Race?

• 3A) Winning Conversations: How to Communicate Successfully and Courageously About Race

  • Presenter: Kenston Henderson

• 3B) Are You Ready to Talk?: Candid Conversations about DEI in a Time of Unrest

  • Presenter: Kevin M. Coleman

• 3C) Strategic Decisions to Consider When Developing Affordable Housing that Embraces Diversity and Inclusion

  • Presenter: Stuart Mitchell

12:30 pm: A Conversation with Dr. Seanelle Hawkins (Urban League of Rochester)

Session 4 (1:20- 2:05 pm): I’m Not a Racist… Right?: Self-Knowledge as a Social Justice Tool

• 4A) Not All Allies Are Wanted: Deconstructing Allyship in Antiracist Work

  • Presenters: Dr. Shirley Sommers, Dr. Lisa Durant-Jones, and Dr. Ana Gómez Parga

• 4B) It Was Just a Joke: Micro-Aggressions and Covert Prejudice

  • Presenter: Sherry Walker-Cowart

• 4C) Unmasking Racism Starts with My Own Bias

  • Presenters: Dr. Berlin Bermudez & Hoang Pham

Session 5 (2:10- 2:55 pm): DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• 5A) Adjust Your Tone, Fix Your Face, and Other Unspoken DEI Rules

  • Presenter: Olajiwon McCadney

• 5B) How to Achieve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Education

  • Presenters: Nolica Murray-Fields & Dina Johnson

• 5C) Recognizing and Overcoming Unconscious Bias

  • Presenter: Charles Holley

3 pm Keynote: JeVon “JT” McCormick (Scribe Media)

4 pm Keynote: Esmeralda Simmons (Center for Law and Social Justice)

Day 1 Closing Session (4:30 pm): Dr. Seanelle Hawkins (Urban League of Rochester)

DAY 2: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2020

Note that all times are listed in EST. Click on the name of any presentation to learn more about the session.

Day 2 Welcome Session (8:45 am): Dr. Seanelle Hawkins (Urban League of Rochester)

Session 1 (9:05- 9:50 am): Racism, a Threat to Your Health and the Planet’s Health

• 1A) Introduction to Intersectional Climate Action: Threats and Opportunities

  • Presenters: Dr. Kristen Van Hooreweghe & Dr. Abby McHugh-Grifa

• 1B) Impacts and Implications of US Government Policies on the Health and Well-Being of Black Americans

  • Presenter: Pascale Edouard

• 1C) Value Diversity and Inclusion and Step Into Your Power

  • Presenter: Sara Ting

Session 2 (10- 10:45 am): Interrupting Racism in Novel Ways

• 2A) Eradicating Racism Even When Our Hearts Are Deceptive

  • Presenter: Kelvin Weathers

• 2B) Dismantling Racism at the Organizational Level: It Takes All of Us

  • Presenters: Lenora Reid-Rose, Kesha Carter, Jason Kuby, Dr. Briannon O’Connor, and Tricia Williams

• 2C) Race Amity, The Other Tradition

  • Presenters: Prof. Omobowale Ayorinde & Robert Rosenfeld

Session 3 (10:50- 11:35 am): Intersectionality of Race and Gender

• 3A) White Supremacy and Male Privilege: The Fatal Poisons Used to Build the American Ideal

  • Presenter: Dr. Kiah Nyame

• 3B) Walking in the Shoes of a Black Man: The Real American Struggle

  • Presenters: Najja Bouldin, Junior Dillion, and Jason Parker

• 3C) A Firsthand Look at the QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) Experience

  • Presenters: Lori Cramer & Zariah Williamson

11:40 am Keynote: Mary-Frances Winters (The Winters Group)

12:30 pm Keynote: Courtney “Courn” Ahn (Courtney Ahn Design)

Session 4 (1:20- 2:05 pm): Building Antiracist Workplaces, Schools, and Communities

• 4A) An Engineer's Guide to Designing Diversity and Inclusion Solutions for the Workplace

  • Presenter: Kari Zee

• 4B) Leaders' Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Workplace Diversity in Healthcare Settings

  • Presenter: Dr. April Aycock

• 4C) Making Downtown Rochester a Model for Integration: Successes, Challenges, and What to Do Next

  • Presenters: William A. Johnson, Jr., Bret Garwood, and Carolyn Vitale

• 4D) Antiracist School Leadership: Lessons from Research and Current Practices

  • Presenters: Jeffrey Linn & Diantha Watts

Session 5 (2:10- 2:55 pm): Peace, Healing, and Empathy

• 5A) Racial Trauma: Let the Healing Begin

  • Presenter: Latise Hairston

• 5B) Conversations about Black Lives Matter: A Youth 4-H Project

  • Presenters: Sara Jablonski, Tyler Dread, and Kenyetta Plummer

• 5C) A Haudenosaunee Approach to Peace

  • Presenter: Ronalyn Pollack

• 5D) The Museum of You: Building Empathy

  • Presenter: Alexis Russell

3 pm Keynote: Erika Andiola (RAICES)

Day 2 Closing Session (4 pm): Dr. Seanelle Hawkins (Urban League of Rochester)

For media inquiries or other Summit-related questions, please contact William Rivera-Bloodworth (Marketing, Communications, and Digital Engagement Officer) at wrivera@ulr.org.