The 2024 Othering & Belonging Conference is over! Revisit all of your favorite moments below.

From April 25 to 27, we hosted a uniquely-curated gathering to discuss cutting-edge ideas, utilize the power of arts and culture, and strategize on the narratives, practices, and relationships that we need to build places of belonging. 

Belonging without othering is a radical new proposition to create a shared future for all including our earth. It will take all of us to build that shared future in which to live, together. Where might belonging without othering, as a political, social, economic, and spiritual frame, take us? Over 1,700 attendees, speakers, and culturemakers across richly diverse issue areas, geographies, and places of work joined us to help answer those questions. Our conference centered bridging as a response to fracturing and elevate the need for more complex and nuanced stories that reflect our true, multi-layered identities.

User the buttons below to explore various aspects of the conference, and click here for information about logistics, planning tracks, and the organizing teams, and read our brand-new post-conference report here.

 

Thank you, from john a. powell

I know this is an ambitious effort, and some would even say impossible. If I did not know many of you, I might agree. We know that many things support this critical work including bridging, targeted universalism, intention, and the new story about who we are becoming. 

Every day there are new causes for concern and despair. But there are also emerging possibilities—and joys, both big and little—to be grateful for. I do not subscribe to a superpower but if I did, it would be you.  

Right now, I would say it is important to take care of yourself, each other, and the earth and world around us. I so appreciate the work you are doing and how you are being.  

Let’s make time to appreciate and support each other.  We are part of a movement, so let’s keep moving. We are also part of a family, so let’s keep practicing care and love. 

Thank you for helping to co-create a world of belonging without othering. It is more than just a hashtag, it’s a dream.  

With deep appreciation and love,

john

Past Speakers

William Barber
Rev. William Barber II

ALOK
ALOK

Saskia SassenSaskia Sassen

Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein

Marshall GanzMarshall Ganz

Indy Johar

Indy Johar

bell hooksbell hooks

Andrew Solomon
Andrew Solomon

Joy Harjo
​​​​​​​​​Joy Harjo 

Michael BennettMichael Bennet​​​​​​

Manuel Pastor
Manuel Pastor

Casey Camp-HorinekCasey Camp-Horinek

Ai-jen PooAi-jen Poo

Charles Blow
Charles Blow

Saru Jayaraman
Saru Jayaraman 

Masha Gessen​​​​​​Masha Gessen

Linda Sarsour
Linda Sarsour

Supaman Christian Takes the Gun ParrishSupaman Christian Takes the Gun Parrish

Bayo Akomolafe
Bayo Akomolafe

Eryn WiseEryn Wise

Judith ButlerJudith Butler

Jeffrey Sachs
Jeffrey Sachs

Ece TemelkuranEce TemelkuranAlicia GarzaAlicia Garza

Astrid TaylorAstra Taylor

“I feel like I've evolving towards a new language to describe the radical love for humanity that I have, and I'm sure that many others have.” - 2019 O&B Conference Attendee

What’s incredible about this conference is being able to think about scholarship alongside a notion of a kind of expansion and love. There’s something I think is really, really important about bringing together the fight for social justice with the inner work of expanding the circle of compassion.” - Dr. Na’ilah Nasir, O&B 2015 Speaker

This was one of the most inspiring events I've ever participated in, professionally and personally. — O&B Summit 2021 Attendee

Read more testimonials here