It’s happening! A gathering of the minds—from politics featuring Stacey Abrams and Ayanna Pressley to entertainment and culture with Ava DuVernay and Lee Daniels to health and wealth with Taraji P. Henson and Cory Booker to social justice with Tarana Burke of #MeToo. It’s time to sit down and talk about how we can take this beyond conversation and turn it into action for our communities.
Welcome to The Root Institute.
Happening the entire month of August, with new videos every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. this one-of-a-kind virtual conference will focus on solutions through enlightening discussions with some of our greatest minds.
Register today so you don’t miss out on these illuminating talks!
Week 1—Politics and Voter Protection: Opening the convening tonight is a one-on-one between myself, the editor-in-chief of The Root, Danielle Belton, and possible Joe Biden vice presidential pick Stacey Abrams, followed by a Q&A with Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and The Root’s video producer and host, Felice León. Then, on Thursday, Aug. 6, The Root Institute will feature a panel on voter protection, politics and the 2020 race with Glynda Carr of Higher Heights, Judith Browne Dianis of Advancement Project and Rashad Robinson of Color of Change.
Week 2—The Intersection of Art with Activism: Opening on Tuesday, Aug. 11 it features a Q&A between myself and award-winning director Ava DuVernay, and later, a one-on-one between The Root’s entertainment writer Tonja Stidhum and Empire creator, provocative filmmaker Lee Daniels. Then on Thursday, Aug. 13, we’ll host two panels—one on Black joy led by Very Smart Brothas Senior Editor Panama Jackson featuring dancers Chloe and Maud Arnold, The Root’s Michael Harriot and TV writer Phil Augusta Jackson; and a second on art’s power to create change also hosted by Jackson with singer Aloe Blacc, Color of Change’s Arisha Hatch and writer/editor Kierna Mayo.
Week 3—Health and Wellness: On Tuesday, Aug. 18, we will feature our one-on-one with Henson and myself on mental health, and a Q&A with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on wealth-building in the African American community. This will be followed on Thursday, Aug. 20 with a panel on health disparities featuring Planned Parenthood’s Alexis McGill Johnson, Joy Altimare of EHE Health and Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, moderated by The Glow Up’s managing editor, Maiysha Kai.
Week 4—Social Justice: Wrapping up the convening in its final week is Tarana Burke in conversation with The Glow Up’s Kai on Tuesday, Aug. 25, followed by a panel on diversity in corporate America, featuring diversity and inclusion experts author Michelle Gadsden-Williams, Netflix’s Verna Myers and Reggie Van Lee of the Carlyle Group, hosted by G/O Media’s head of multicultural sales, Michael Clark. Then on Thursday, Aug. 27 we have a pair of panels, the first of which featuring author Darnell Moore, president of the National Black Justice Coalition David Johns and Steven Pargett of Black Men Build, moderated by communications expert Chelsea Fuller of Blackbird on the role cis-gender Black men can play in being allies to Black women and members of the LGBTQ community, and a second on social media’s role in social justice movements with Chloe Cheyenne of CommunityX, activist and organizer Brittany Packnett, and The Root’s Monique Judge, host of Auntie Unfiltered.
Are you ready? Sign up today!