St. Louis Promise Zone

The St. Louis Racial Equity Summit

The STL Racial Equity Summit was held on Oct. 10-11, 2019 and focused on community building, learning, and action.

St. Louis Racial Equity Summit 2019The first STL Racial Equity Summit on October 10-11 offered a platform for participants to learn about elevating, connecting, and activating the people, practices, and resources necessary to achieve racial equity.

Erica Henderson, Executive Director of the St. Louis Promise Zone and VP of Community Investment and Real Estate at St. Louis Economic Development Partnership said she was excited to see over 500 community partners participate in the first ever St. Louis Racial Equity Summit.

“It is the collective voice that is needed as we work towards justice for all,” Henderson said. “Thank you to all of our sponsors, speakers, and participants who made this event a success. We are proud to be a part of the organizing team with Clark-Fox Policy Institute at Washington University, Focus St. Louis, Forward through Ferguson, and United Way of Greater St. Louis.”

The Summit had 3 main goals:

Reinforce the vital importance of putting Racial Equity at the forefront of our region’s agenda and acknowledge the people who have been unflinching in this work.

Highlight local successes, bold ideas, learning experiences, and best practices in the movement to advance Racial Equity.

Build alignment and investment in the Forward Through Ferguson framework for achieving equity by 2039.

“We live in a very divided moment in America,” Michelle Norris, radio journalist and former host of the National Public Radio said as a keynote speaker at the Summit. “I think the most radical thing you can do is open your mind.”