Othering & Belonging Conference

The next Othering & Belonging Conference will be held October 9-10, 2026* in Louisville, Kentucky. 

*Please note the new dates. We have made the necessary decision to move our conference to the fall. All who registered for the original spring dates should have received notice of this date change, but if you have not, or have further questions, please reach out to us at obconf@berkeley.edu. We apologize for the inconvenience this change has caused, and very much hope you can join us in October in Louisville!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR O&B26! 

REGISTER HERE

What to Expect at O&B26

• Over 1,000 changemakers gathered to engage in collective meaning-making and action toward securing inclusive, pluralistic democracies and building belonging 
• An immersive, two-day experience designed to spark joy, catalyze action, sharpen collective work, and build stronger coalitions that build a bigger "we" 
• Hands-on strategy and skills-building workshops to fight back against authoritarian capture and fight forward to build the future we want to see
• A vibrant ecosystem of people working across arts, research, movements, education, policy, philanthropy, business, and more, united by common purpose to building more caring, fair, and inclusive societies
• Thematic tracks related to belonging and democracy in action, becoming bridgers, and the role of institutions and systems in our work to build belonging societies
• Interactive and tactile exhibits that bring conference themes to life 
• Vibrant movement spaces including meditation, yoga, and other kinetic and somatic ways to engage in conference themes
• Poster Showcase and scheduled meet-and-greets with poster creators 
• Our popular Belonging Book table with local bookseller and book signings
• + What would you like to experience, offer, or learn? Write us and let us know! 

Interested in being part of O&B 26 as a sponsor or partner? Please contact Puanani Forbes.

Our Goals for the 2026 Conference include: 

• 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

Explore the O&B Conference Experience! 

Use the buttons below to explore various aspects of the Othering & Belonging conference experience. We have an extensive media library for 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