Event

Governing for Racial Equity Network Presents Neva Walker

The Governing for Racial Equity Network is a regional partnership of government jurisdictions working to achieve racial equity.

New keynote speaker! Maya Wiley has accepted the job as the chief legal council for Bill DeBlasio's administration in New York City. This is wonderful news for Maya and for racial justice! Unfortunately she cannot join us for the conference.

We are very excited that Neva Walker, executive director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth in San Francisco is now our keynote speaker.

Neva is a long-time youth worker, community organizer and political leader from Minneapolis who recently relocated to the Bay Area. She was born into an activist family; her mother founded and ran community programs at the Sabathani Community Center, located right across the street from the family's home. Neva herself now has decades of experience working with low income youth and families of color around economic and racial justice issues. She has organized intensively around community demands for affordable housing and opportunities for youth. At age 29, Neva was the first African American woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature in the state's history. She ran a precedent-setting grassroots election campaign that involved young people of color at every level of leadership. She served 8 years as a legislator before stepping down to return to her organizing roots. She's a former Board member of the Progressive States Network. Since coming to the Bay, Neva spent time supporting the Black Organizing Project at the Center for Third World Organizing, and has been organizing workers in the labor movement.

NOTE: LOCATION CHANGE

The keynote will be held at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel, 1000 NE Multnomah Street, Portland.

Doors open at 6:30.

This event is free for community members.