Othering & Belonging Conference

The 2026 Othering & Belonging Conference will be held October 9-10 in Louisville, Kentucky, with a set of pre-conference learning labs and local activities planned for Oct. 8!  O&B26 will be an immersive gathering with leaders from grassroots movements, research and education, arts and culture, policymaking and government, philanthropy and business—united by a common purpose to fostering inclusive, multiracial, pluralistic democracies and building a bigger we. 

REGISTER HERE

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Venue & Hotel

Conference Venue
The O&B 2026 conference is taking place October 9-10, 2026 at the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC)  in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.  Conference sessions will run each day from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, with meditation and somatic activity being offered daily at 7:30 am. On Oct. 8, there is also a set of pre-conference sessions, as well as a Friday evening party at the Muhammed Ali Center on Oct 9.  Stay tuned for more details on our developing agenda.

More information about KICC can be found here: 
Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 S. 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202

Parking
Cowger Garage is located at 4th & Market Street (next to FedEx). Cost: $12 per day

Commonwealth Garage is located on Jefferson Street (middle of block on left hand side) between 3rd & 4th Streets and connected to Hyatt Regency.
Cost: $12 per day. A lost parking ticket will result in a flat charge per day.

Lodging
We have two hotel blocks available to choose from which offer special discounted rates for the 2026 Othering & Belonging Conference attendees. Both hotels are a short 1-5 minute walk to the Kentucky International Convention Center.

The Galt House Hotel: 140 N Fourth St, Louisville, KY 40202 
Located on the banks of the Ohio River, the Galt House is an iconic Louisville hotel that offers a riverfront setting, luxury accommodations, and historic charm as one of the city's oldest hotels. The Galt House is centrally located in the heart of Louisville's museum district, cultural center, and is within walking distance to the O&B Conference venue. The Galt offers multiple dining options and gathering spots for attendees. Special rates for O&B attendees can be found below.

West Tower – Deluxe Guestrooms $229.00
East Tower – Executive Suites $249.00
The Guest Room Rates are exclusive of applicable state and local taxes which are currently 17.66 %. Group rates will be honored for attendees 3 days before or 3 days after conference dates based on availability.

To reserve a room at The Galt House Hotel, visit this dedicated booking website no later than Monday, September 11, 2026. Reservation requests received after the Cutoff Date will be based on availability at the prevailing rates.

Hyatt Regency Louisville: 320 West Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202
The Hyatt Regency is centrally located in vibrant downtown Louisville, next to Fourth Street Live!, and is conveniently located next to the Kentucky International Convention Center, where the O&B Conference will be held. In-house attendees can find a bar, restaurant, and coffee shop. Special rates for O&B attendees can be found below.

Single/double: $239.00/night
The Guest Room Rates are exclusive of applicable state and local taxes which are currently 17.66 %. Group rates will be honored for attendees 3 days before or 3 days after conference dates based on availability.

Reservations for the Hyatt Regency must be made by individuals via this Hyatt Regency link or by calling Central Reservations at 1-877-803-7534 and identifying as a member of “Othering and Belonging Conference ATTENDEE” no later than Monday, September 16, 2026. Reservation requests received after the Cutoff Date will be based on availability at the prevailing rates.

Conference Goals

• Attendees leave with inspiration, shared purpose, and actionable ways forward to building inclusive, pluralistic democracies.
• The conference provides a coherent, compelling vision of belonging without othering, and the concrete tools and connections to help build it
• Clear lessons are gleaned from Kentucky, the US South, and regional movements and leaders on struggles and strategies against structural marginalization
• Attendees leave with a deeper understanding of economic and material belonging and the threat of extreme inequality
• Participants are provided with a robust understanding of how bridging strengthens democracy, and the conference provides ways to practice it
• Ways to deepen relationships, networks, and partnerships are embedded throughout, and nurtured in ways that can be sustained beyond the conference

Registration and Fees

The registration levels were developed to make the conference as accessible as possible to a wide range of attendees. OBI does significant fundraising to provide different fee levels as well as scholarships. 

Please select the highest level that your organization or you are able to afford. In this way, we are able to stretch our conference funding further and provide additional high-quality content and more scholarships to those who would otherwise not be able to attend.

Belonging Champion: $2,930*
You are a foundation, organization or individual who wants to spread Belonging to as many people as possible by supporting those who are not able to afford the full conference registration fee. This registration level will support yourself and two scholarship applicants to attend the Conference. Register here.

Pay It Forward Foundations and Businesses: $1800*
You work for a foundation or business that has a budget for conferences or are an individual with the means to cover the actual per person cost of the conference plus supporting two other attendees at the subsidized Co-Creator rate. Register here.

Architect of Belonging: $1000*
You work for a medium to large non-profit, government, or educational institution, and your organization is paying for the cost of your registration. By registering at this level, you are paying the actual per person cost to attend the conference. Register here.

Co-Creator: $600*
This subsidized registration level is for those who cannot afford the actual per person cost of the conference. This rate may be appropriate for UC staff and faculty, employees from organizations/ institutions that do not have sufficient conference or professional development budgets, or individuals who are covering the registration cost out of their own funds and who cannot afford the Architect of Belonging rate. Register here.

Bridge Builder: $250* (Limited availability):
This highly subsidized registration option is for individuals who are unable to pay the Co-Creator rate such as staff of nonprofits with very small budgets and underemployed/low-paid individuals who are covering the cost out of their own funds. Please only select this level if you do not have the capacity to pay the Co-Creator rate. Register here.

*There will be a 3.5% credit card processing fee charged on top of all registration fees listed above. Fee is determined by the credit card company.

**If you registered you should receive a confirmation email within a few minutes of completing registration and payment. If you did not, be sure to check your spam or junk folder of the email you registered under.

Group Registration, Rate and Discount:
If you are registering/paying for a group, you must register yourself first (or choose one group member to serve as the primary registrant) and then you will be prompted to add additional members to the registration prior to payment. If members of your group are paying individually (for example, with different credit cards), each member must register separately.

If you work for a medium to large non-profit, government, or educational institution, and your organization is paying for the cost of your registration, register your group under the Architect of Belonging rate. For groups that cannot afford the Architect of Belonging rate, register under the Co-Creator rate. These are the discounted group rate options. Register here.

Day Rates: The conference is meant to be experienced as a whole and as such, we are not extending day rates as a registration option.

Cancellation and Substitutions Policy:
Please email cancellation or substitution requests to obconf@berkeley.edu.

- Cancellations requested before September 12, 2026 are eligible for a refund minus a $50 cancellation fee for each registration.
- After September 12, 2026 cancellations will be refunded at 25% of the registration fee.
- No refunds will be issued after October 8, 2026.
- Failure to appear at the conference will result in forfeiture of the full registration fee.
- Requests to substitute registrations can be processed until October 8, 2026.

Scholarships:

A limited number of scholarships will be made available and will be accepted on a rolling basis. The application can be found here. If the link is active, we still have scholarships available. If your application is accepted, there will be a $35 processing fee that must be paid upon acceptance of the scholarship/registration. Scholarships will be for the cost of registration only. Scholarship recipients will be responsible for coordinating their own travel to and lodging during the conference.  

If you do not accept the scholarship by registering/paying the fee within 14 days, the scholarship will be made available to the next applicant. If you are unable to attend the conference after receiving a scholarship, please let us know so we can offer the scholarship to the next applicant. After completing this form, you will receive a response from a member of our team within 2-3 weeks about your application and instructions on how to register.

Payment Methods:
We accept all major credit cards, and credit card payments are strongly preferred. 

Select the “Check” payment option ONLY if you or your organization is paying and not using a credit card. Upon selecting the Check option, you must print out your registration invoice and send it along with your check made payable to the "The Regents of the University of California" with “Othering & Belonging Conference" in the memo line.  You can find our W-9 here.  Please do not send checks to the address in the W-9 but to:

O&B26
Othering & Belonging Institute
UC Berkeley
460 Stephens Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-2330

Your registration will be completed and considered active only upon receipt of your check. All checks must be received by October 7, 2026 to activate your registration for the conference. Please contact obconf@berkeley.edu if you are unable to meet this deadline.

Invoices will not be automatically generated. If you need to submit an invoice to your employer for payment, you must generate an invoice from the registration record page (following the payment page).

If you are a campus group in the UC system and are paying via chartstring, please use the Pay by Check option and contact Charlotte Taylor with your chartstring.

Sponsor

Join our growing roster of supporters, download the Sponsorship Package.

Whether a returning sponsor, or donating for the first time, we hope you will join the many organizations, foundations, and companies who have provided support for the O&B Conference over the years. In addition to generous financial support, many staff from supporting organizations take leadership roles in conference sessions, as well as bringing large cohorts of their staff to the conference to take part in this dynamic learning space.

If you'd like to join our growing roster of supporters who have supported the Othering & Belonging Conference, please contact Sarah Legg. 

Accessibility

It is our goal that the Othering & Belonging conference is accessible to all who want to attend and to support attendees to engage as fully as possible. We are constantly working to be better stewards of accessibility and disability justice. We encourage attendees who require mobility aids to bring their canes, walkers, and wheelchairs to the conference. Our venue is designed to accommodate everyone, and we want to ensure that you can move around comfortably and fully enjoy the enriching experience we have prepared for you.m If you have specific accessibility needs that are not addressed here, or if you have any other concerns during the event, please contact our accessibility coordinator Jake Tompkins at jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu.

Accessible Parking: KICC offers ADA-compliant parking spaces within the Cowger Parking Garage and Commonwealth Parking Garage located near the venue.

Wheelchair Accessibility: The conference venue is ADA compliant with elevator access to each floor. All conference offerings are wheelchair accessible with accessible parking nearby along with several drop-off locations.

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation: ASL interpretation will be available upon request for the mainstage. Please inform us during the registration process or by emailing the accessibility coordinator  jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu at least three weeks prior to the event if you require ASL interpretation or have any specific requests. 

Live Captioning: Live captioning will be provided. Please inform us during the registration process or by emailing the accessibility coordinator  jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu at least three weeks prior to the event if you have any specific captioning requests.

Seating Accommodations: Attendees who use mobility aids, including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or scooters, are encouraged to bring them to the conference. Seating throughout the venue is flexible and can be arranged to support mobility accommodations with advance notice. If you have specific seating needs, email the accessibility coordinator jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu.

ADA and Gender Neutral Bathrooms: All public restrooms in the Kentucky International Convention Center are accessible according to federal ADA requirements and gender neutral restrooms are also located throughout the facility. 

Service Animals: Service animals are welcome at the Kentucky International Convention Center in accordance with ADA guidelines.

Participant Experience

Fragrance-Free:  We strive to create a comfortable space for all attendees, including those with fragrance sensitivities or allergies. We kindly request that all attendees refrain from using scented products such as perfumes, colognes, and heavily scented lotions during the conference.

Food: Lunch will be hosted for attendees on Friday only. Attendees are encouraged to explore food options in the downtown Louisville area on Saturday and enjoy time with new and existing friends. We have also created an interactive food and café map with nearby dining options, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary-friendly choices: OB26 Food Map. Please inform us during registration and/or by emailing obconf@berkeley.edu if you have any severe food allergies we should be aware of. Attendees are also welcome to bring personal food items that meet their dietary needs and/or traditions.

Childcare & Nursing: We will be partnering with KiddieCorps to provide high quality children's programming for children ages 6 months to 12 years during the two days of the conference at a subsidized rate. The childcare room will be at the same site and floor as the main conference room. It is a private room apart from the main conference activities.  You can register and pay at this link if you would like to reserve a spot for your child. All the information you need can be found in the registration form. Childcare is limited and will be provided on a first registered first serve basis. If you have any questions not found in the form, please reach out to obconf@berkeley.edu.

O&B26 will also have dedicated private spaces for lactation and nursing near the childcare room.

Prayer and Meditation Room:  A nondenominational prayer and meditation room will be made available for attendees.

Photo and Video Usage:  We will be documenting our conference to spread our message of belonging as far and wide as possible! Any photograph, sound recording, motion picture, or video taken during the conference is for the explicit purpose of collecting and/or representing factual information in the interest of serving our mission of research, education, and public service, and for promoting the public good. Attendee assigns to the conference organizers, including the University of California, all rights, title, and interest, including copyright, in and to any and all such photographs, sound recordings, motion pictures, or videos, and hereby irrevocably authorizes conference organizers, without limitation, to reproduce, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute any and all such photographs, sound recordings, motion pictures, or videos in perpetuity for the purposes expressed above. Attendee further releases and forever discharges the conference organizers from any and all claims and demands arising out of or in connection with the use of any photographs, sound recordings, motion pictures, or videos, including but not limited to any and all claims for invasion of privacy, defamation, or infringement of copyright.

Conference Medium of Language: The conference will be presented in English and upon request, American Sign Language. All conference mainstage sessions will be recorded and will be posted on our YouTube page post-conference.  These sessions can be translated into other languages by the viewer through YouTube's translation function.

Safety & Security

The Othering & Belonging Institute is deeply committed to creating an environment where everyone attending the Othering & Belonging 2026 can participate fully and safely. As we prepare for this convening, we recognize that many communities—including immigrants, transgender people, BIPOC leaders, journalists, movement organizers, and others—are navigating an increasingly challenging climate marked by polarization, surveillance, and other forms of repression.

In partnership with our local hosts and community collaborators, we have designed a comprehensive safety and security strategy that emphasizes preparation, coordination, and collective care. This work includes:

• Developing response plans for a variety of potential situations, including public safety incidents, medical emergencies, and other unexpected disruptions.

• Assessing and addressing risks that may disproportionately affect participants based on factors such as identity, organizational affiliation, accessibility needs, or other individual circumstances.

• Establishing clear internal roles, communication channels, and decision-making processes to ensure timely responses to safety-related concerns.

• Coordinating with the conference venue and local partners to align emergency procedures and operational protocols.

• Prioritizing de-escalation, harm reduction, and community-centered approaches in our planning and response efforts.

We are committed to taking every reasonable step within our control to support the safety and well-being of those participating in O&B26. At the same time, we recognize that each person has unique circumstances and considerations. We encourage all prospective attendees to evaluate their own situation and make an informed decision about traveling to and participating in the conference.

For any questions, contact our planning team at obconf@berkeley.edu.

Travel Guidance

We recognize that travel can involve different considerations, particularly for our LGTBQ+ and undocumented immigrant friends. We hope this guidance helps you prepare for your conference travel and access available support resources.

Before You Travel

• Ensure your airline ticket matches the name on your ID
• Consider bringing additional documentation if your ID does not reflect your current name or gender
• Review your comfort level with travel routes, airports, and layovers
• Erin in the Morning - Anti-Trans National Legal Risk Assessment Map 
• Contact TSA Cares (855-787-2227) ahead of travel if you would like airport assistance
• Contact OBI’s accessibility coordinator (jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu) if you have any questions or concerns
• Additional travel resources:
• Know Your Rights at Airports: International and Domestic
• Travel & Flight Security Checklist
• ACLU Know Your Rights
• Immigrant Defense Project - Know Your Rights with ICE 
• NAKASEC - Know Your Rights App 
• Opt out of Biometrics/Data Safety

At the Airport

You may request:

• A private screening
• A support person during screening
• Screening by an officer consistent with your gender presentation
• Allow extra time in case additional screening occurs
• Hormones, syringes, and prosthetics are generally permitted through security
• If needed, you can ask for a supervisor or file a TSA complaint
• Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Resources:
• Terminal Map
• Accessibility

Digital Safety & Privacy

Creating a secure and respectful conference environment extends to our digital spaces. We ask all participants to help protect one another's privacy by exercising care when sharing information online during Othering & Belonging 2026.

To reduce the risk of exposing attendees' whereabouts, please do not use geotags or otherwise identify the conference location, venue, city, or state in social media posts while the convening is taking place. We encourage participants to wait until after the conference has concluded before sharing location-specific content.

We also ask that you respect each person's privacy and agency by obtaining their permission before taking photos or videos that include them. If you would like to share images that feature other participants, please receive their explicit consent before posting, tagging, or otherwise identifying them on social media or other public platforms.

To help foster community while protecting participant privacy, attendees are encouraged to share photos and connect through the Othering & Belonging event app, which will be available for download before the conference. The app is accessible only to registered participants, providing a more secure space for sharing conference experiences.

These practices are an important part of our collective commitment to creating a conference environment that prioritizes safety, trust, and care for all participants.

Restrictions on Weapons 

Guns and other weapons will not be permitted in the O&B conference spaces. Kentucky is an open carry state, meaning people in public have the right to carry a concealed or non-concealed weapon. Signs will be posted informing all attendees that weapons are not allowed in the conference spaces. 

Ongoing Communication

Safety and security information will be updated as needed, leading up to the conference. Any time-sensitive updates on-site will be communicated directly to registered attendees through the Othering & Belonging Conference app. For any security questions leading up to the conference please contact the planning team at obconf@berkeley.edu. 

Health & Safety

Attendees can expect to follow health and safety guidelines provided by Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC).  In consideration of voluntary participation in the Othering & Belonging Conference, attendees acknowledge awareness of the possible risk of exposure to COVID-19 and any other communicable or infectious disease by being in a public place where people are present.  Masking and vaccinating and staying boosted against COVID-19 is highly encouraged. We implore everyone to remain vigilant in protecting the health of our shared space by staying home if you are experiencing any symptoms. Face masks, sanitizing stations, and a limited number of testing kits will be available for attendees on-site.

For those who would like to understand the decision to not require universal masking at our event: as an Institute that is part of the public University of California system, OBI is also a public entity.  We are obligated to follow our public university’s policies and directives that currently have no requirements related to COVID-19 that exceed local health department requirements and the UC system-wide COVID-19 vaccine policy. 

Organizing Teams 

• Rachelle Galloway-Popotas, Conference Co-Director
• Basima Sisemore, Conference Co-Director, Breakout Sessions Lead
• Christian M. Ivey, The Commons Lead
• Ashley Gallegos, Local Host Committee Liaison
• Christina Long-Vail 
• Jose Richard Aviles 
• Sarah Crowell
• Olivia Araiza
• Sumayyah Rose Abuelmaatti 
• Ivan Natividad
•  
• Accessibility Coordinator: Jake Tompkins
• Fundraising & Sponsorship: Sarah Legg 
• Conference Anchor Partnerships: Cecilie Surasky 
• Media Inquiries: Ivan Natividad
• Speaker & Communications Manager: Ashley Nkadi
• General Inquiries: OBI Conference Support at obconf@berkeley.edu

Local Host Committee

• Cynthia Knapek, CEO LeadingBetter/ President Leadership Louisville Center
• Mahogany Mayfield, Creative Professional, Community Connector, and Founder of The Sis That Journals 
• Rashaad Abdur-Rahman, Founder of the Racial Healing Project; Board member, Seven Counties Services and the Black Leadership Action Coalition of Kentucky 
• Sadiqa Reynolds, Esq., Founder and President, Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center; formerly CEO of Perception Institute, Chief Law Clerk for the Kentucky Supreme Court, and President, Louisville Urban League 
• Savannah Barrett, Exchange Director for Art of the Rural and co-founder of the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange

Find out more about our Local Host Committee here!  

Contact

If you have any questions about any of the above, please email obconf@berkeley.edu or leave a message at (510) 642-3326. Please note that email is our strongly preferred method of contact (if possible); most of our team works remotely and may not be as responsive to voice messages.

Explore the O&B Conference Experience! 

We have an extensive media library of videos and podcasts, or click to download our latest post-conference report. And be sure to stay updated on all conference news through our OBI newsletter.

Sponsorship Opportunities for O&B26!

Past Speakers

Read more testimonials here