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In times of struggle and possibility, our movements have always drawn strength from the stories we tell. Stories that imagine a future where we all thrive. Stories that call us into deeper solidarity. Stories that challenge harmful narratives.
At Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity, we’re bringing together narrative strategists, communicators, cultural workers, organizers, and storytellers who understand that the fight for racial justice requires us to reclaim, reframe, and reimagine the stories that shape our future.
Today, we're honored to announce our keynote speaker, whose life and work embody the vision of the world we are fighting for:
Alok Vaid-Menon (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed poet, comedian, public speaker, artist, and actor whose work sits at the powerful intersection of creative expression and movement building.
Alok brings brilliance that transcends boundaries. Their artistry reminds us that narrative change isn't only about the stories we tell—it's about who gets to tell them, how those stories are told, and how they shape our worldview, policies, and practices.
Through their literary works "Beyond the Gender Binary," "Femme in Public," and "Your Wound, My Garden," Alok has:
- Created liberatory spaces where we can show up in our full humanity, challenging oppressive systems that seek to diminish and divide us
- Advocated for transfeminine people to be regarded in their full personhood, ensuring the representation of trans and gender non-conforming people
- Modeled how to reclaim our narratives from those who would weaponize them against our communities
Through performance and public discourse, they have:
- Challenged Western rationalism and reductive categories, insisting on the complexity and enormity of everyone and everything
- Created public spaces for processing pain and establishing meaningful connection in what they call "the international crisis of loneliness"
- Used art to interrupt assumptions, challenge shame, and declare themselves on their own terms
Alok's keynote at Just Narratives will ignite our collective imagination as we build narrative power strong enough to overcome the forces working to divide us by race, class, geography, gender expression, and more. Their words will galvanize our community as we develop strategies to effectively tell stories that can transform policies, systems, and culture.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Alok’s powerful keynote and join a community of strategists, storytellers, creatives, and movement leaders committed to strengthening our narrative ecosystem in the face of rising authoritarianism.
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