When We Lead: Black Women’s Spiritual Activism and Social Change Conference

October 4 – 5 | Emory Conference Center Hotel

The Garden Initiative is excited to host our first conference in the city of Atlanta, GA. Our conference theme, When We Lead: Black Women’s Spiritual Activism and Social Change, is meant to draw attention to the importance of religious or spiritual practices in inspiring and grounding social justice activism. During our time together we will amplify how spirituality can inform Black women’s moral leadership.

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Conference Agenda

Plenary Address Speakers

Rachel Ricketts

Nontombi Naomi Tutu

Faith Adiele 

Panelists

Tawnicia Rowan

Ayo Yetunde

Beverly Wallace

Sindile Mathebula

Robin Dease

Karen Jackson-Weaver

D. Danyelle Thomas

Teresa Snorton

Cathy Royal

The Garden Initiative for Black Women’s Religious Activism aims to broaden our historical knowledge of Black women’s leadership and to equip contemporary religious leaders, social justice activists, and scholars with resources to sustain social change. During our first conference, we gather in the city of Atlanta to illuminate the role of religion in movements for racial justice and social change. In particular, we will bring women together to learn from each other’s leadership styles and share best practices for leadership development.

Our conference emphasizes the underpinning of religion in our collective visions of creating justice in our time. We have built in professional development opportunities as well as space for inter-generational and international conversations about the meaning and practice of religious activism. We welcome persons from all or no religious traditions as we explore the interfaith lessons found in Black women’s leadership and activism. Through conference presentations and workshops we will share knowledge from activists, scholars, and religious leaders across the African diaspora as well as our findings from the Garden Initiative’s work. After the conference we aim to publish conference presentations in three distinct venues: a special issue of the journal of Black Women and Religious Cultures, in an edited collection of essays, and virtually on The Garden Initiative’s website. We are committed to interdependent social change that depends on bridging the academy, faith communities, and social justice spaces. As such, we anticipate this gathering of womanist scholars, religious practitioners, activists, and leaders to foster collaboration and create networking opportunities that will help heal our world.

Agenda