From the Harlem Renaissance to our annual heritage celebrations honoring Black, Indigenous, Latin(o/a/x), Asian, Pacific Islander, and all communities of color, arts and culture have always been at the heart of American identity and progress. 

Now, however, as the culture of certain populations face erasure from our museums, libraries, textbooks and other public spaces, it is more important than ever that we come together to not only celebrate and protect the diverse cultures that comprise America, but to also shift narratives about who has contributed to American society.

That’s why Race Forward is pleased to announce the return of The Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy! From Saturday, November 8, through Sunday, November 16, communities across cities, towns, and in virtual spaces will come alive through music, storytelling, movement, and collective learning to bring into view the vision of a just, multicultural democracy that serves all of us.

The Cultural Week of Action aims to:

• Reclaim the Narrative by moving from “defense” to “vision,” lifting up our shared values to reframe the public conversation.
  
  
• Build Public Visibility and Support for our vision of a multicultural democracy by creating momentum and countering disinformation.
  
  
• Connect Culture to Policy by bridging cultural work to civic action, showing what democracy looks like and exposing authoritarianism.
  
  
• Deepen Community Power and foster resilience by building local ownership and developing new leaders.
  
  
• Shift from Polarization to Solidarity through cultural meeting points that highlight intersectionality and celebrate joy and resistance. 

Here's How You Can Participate

The Cultural Week of Action is an opportunity to deepen commitments to racial justice and inclusive democracy through a range of cultural activities. Here’s how you can organize an event in your community or participate in the anchor event:

#1 — Watch our webinar—and host a conversation

Join us for We The People: Plan Your Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy, Thursday, October 2, 6-7 pm ET | 5-6 pm CT | 3-4 pm PT. This joyful 60-minute virtual kickstart will blend art, storytelling, and action and will get you ready for the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy. Together, we’ll celebrate culture as a force for change and connect with people across the country.

What to Expect:

• Inspiring stories and mini performances showing culture shaping policy and community change
  
  
• Interactive moments, including live mapping and quick chat prompts
  
  
• Artists weaving music, poetry, and live drawing into the experience

• A clear, simple plan to host a conversation in your community—choose your path (Home • Work • Community • City Hall) and add it to our map.

This event is designed to spark connection, courage, and joy while giving you practical tools to participate in the Week of Action. You’ll leave energized, connected, and ready to help build a democracy that truly serves We the People.

This webinar will be recorded and available on the Race Forward website for on-demand viewing.

#2 — Organize your own cultural activity (and add it to our map)

Our toolkit can help you organize your own event. Here are some possibilities:

• Potluck or mixer at home with family, friends, or neighbors that host a space for meaningful discussion on visioning using tools learned from the virtual kickstarter.
  
  
• Public installations or murals that celebrate racial justice and democratic movements.
  
  
• Teach-ins and storytelling events that reclaim banned histories and elevate lived experience.

• Pop-up exhibits or art shows on themes like freedom, community, and resistance.
  
  
• Community assemblies or forums on local democratic participation and racial equity.
  
  
• Faith gatherings focused on healing and spiritual grounding.
  
  
• Youth-led actions or performances highlighting their vision of the future.

#3 — Attend our anchor event, Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity

November 13-15, 2025 | St. Louis, MO

Join us for this year’s anchor event, where we'll strengthen and grow the narrative ecosystem needed to scale and build new narratives for solidarity and racial justice.

Together, narrative strategists, communicators, creatives, storytellers, racial justice advocates, and movement builders will:

• Foster solidarity for racial justice across our identities, geographies, and issue areas;
  
  
• Share lessons and best practices from the field;
  
  
• Offer and coalesce around new narrative and cultural strategies and tactics that make our vision of solidarity and a racially just world real and inevitable;

• Learn new skillsets for narrative change; and
  
  
• Identify opportunities for collaborations on impact storytelling for racial justice through various mediums and platforms

We know we are stronger when we stand together. Join us in this week of activities rooted in connection and celebration, in shared culture, and building collective power across communities. 

In solidarity,

Race Forward