Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , Iris Crawford, Race Forward's Director of Strategic Communications, speaks with Bishop Dwayne Royster, Executive Director of Faith in Action, for a conversation about faith, democracy, and the institutions that help communities organize for change. Drawing on his experience as a pastor, organizer, radio host, and national movement leader, Bisho...

On the season six premiere of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Leah Obias, Director of Policy and Strategy at Race Forward, speaks with Abre' Conner, Director of the Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP, to examine how the rapid expansion of AI data centers is reshaping conversations around racial justice, environmental justice, governance, and democracy. Together, they unpac...

On the Season 5 finale of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , Nikko Viquiera, Deputy Senior Vice President of Programs, sits with internationally acclaimed poet, comedian, public speaker, and actor ALOK Vaid-Menon. This conversation was recorded this past November at Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity 2025 , In their conversation, Nikko and ALOK explore how storytelling can be used to chall...

In this bonus episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , we take a closer look at the state of housing in the United States nearly 60 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act and why this moment demands renewed urgency. With a national shortage of more than 4.7 million homes, rising rents, and persistent racial discrimination, the housing crisis goes beyond supply. It reflects a deeper s...

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast Dr. Coleman-Robinson, President and CEO of the Association of African American Museums, joins Race Forward’s Chief of Staff Karla Bruce to discuss the growing scrutiny around diversity, equity, and inclusion, the ripple effects of federal shifts and funding cuts, and how institutions dedicated to preserving history are responding with resilience...

In this special bonus segment, Race Forward closes out 2025 with a powerful message of urgency narrated by Leslie Grant-Spann, Senior Director of Conferences and Convenings. Drawing on decades of movement-building work, this message reflects on how racial inequities are embedded in our institutions—and why transformational change requires action now. From partnering with communities of color to re...

This episode of Momentum , hosted by Race Forward’s Chief of Staff Karla Bruce, examines the enduring policy failures and systemic harms of over-policing—connecting the legacy of former Chicago police commander Jon Burge’s “Midnight Crew” to the current federal deployment of National Guard forces across U.S. cities. Guest Omar Jimenez, Emmy Award–winning CNN anchor and news correspondent, discusse...

Resources: MILPA Collective: A movement organization rooted in Salinas, California, led by formerly incarcerated and system-impacted individuals.  Learn more about MILPA Collective at:  https://www.milpacollective.org/ Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity: Nov 13-15 St. Louis, MO REGISTER NOW at  https://www.raceforward.org/training-and-events/just-narratives   Executive Producers: Hendel Le...

Resources: Solidarity is This, an Initiative of the Building Movement Project: https://www.solidarityis.org/   Just Narratives for Multiracial Solidarity: November 13-15, 2025 St. Louis, MO REGISTER NOW at https://www.raceforward.org/training-and-events/just-narratives

In this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , Minister JaNaé Bates Co- Executive Director of ISAIAH, a multi-racial, state-wide, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities fighting for racial and economic justice in Minnesota joins host jaboa lake, Race Forward Senior Director of Impact Evaluation, Learning, and Research for a compelling conversation on the legacy of resistance that shaped...

In this bonus episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , H.E.A.L Together Director of Strategic Communications at Race Forward Anastasia Ordoñez unpacks the sweeping implications of President Trump’s latest executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education—a move that could fundamentally reshape public education and deepen racial inequities across the country. As communities of colo...

In this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , Glenn Harris and Eric Ward deliver a powerful analysis of the new administration's first seven days and their implications for racial justice in America. As executive orders reshape federal policy and threaten hard-won progress, Glenn Harris, President of Race Forward, and Eric Ward, Executive Vice President, offer both stark warnings and hope-...

In this special bonus episode of Momentum, we are sharing one of Facing Race: A National Conference standout plenaries: Navigating the Post-Election Landscape: Insights and Strategies for a Just Democracy. With the 2024 presidential election behind us, the question on everyone’s mind was: what’s next? This inspiring discussion featured leading voices in political organizing and movement building....

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Race Forward President Glenn Harris speaks with Dr. Aletha Maybank, Chief Health Equity Officer and Senior Vice President at the American Medical Association (AMA), to explore the transformative work underway to advance health equity in the United States. The discussion underscores the AMA's pivotal role as the trailblazer sponsor of the Facing...

In a deeply moving episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Jane Mantey, Director of Narrative and Cultural Strategies for Race Forward, connected with Michael Brown Sr. and Cal Brown, parents of Michael Brown Jr. Their heartfelt story and unwavering advocacy illuminate the enduring impact of their son's tragic death in a police encounter a decade ago–an event that ignited a powerful national...

On the latest episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast , Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association (NEA), is interviewed by Anastasia Ordonez, Director of HEAL Together at Race Forward. This episode explores Becky’s journey from being a science teacher to becoming a prominent leader in education advocacy and the head of the largest labor union in the United States. Becky sh...

Welcome to Season Five of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast!  On the season premiere of Momentum, we had the privilege of being joined by Secretary Julián Castro, the newly appointed CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. In this conversation hosted by Cathy Albisa, Race Forward’s Vice President of Institutional and Sectoral Change, Cathy and Secretary Castro engage in a wide-ranging conversation...

On the season finale of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Everette Thompson-Francois, Race Forward’s Vice President of Movement and Capacity Building is joined by Sulma Arias, Executive Director of People’s Action for an illuminating and invigorating conversation inspired by the Organizing Revival project launched one year ago.  As Executive Director of a national organization that houses more tha...

On this bonus episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Ryan Curren, Director of Housing, Land, and Development work at Race Forward talks to us about 5 Things You Need to Know About Fair Housing Month in 2024 and the work Race Forward is doing to ensure everyone has safe, affordable, stable housing. The episode includes remarks from Ms. Karen Harvey, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Rent...

To support our work, make your $24 donation for 2024 by texting RFPOD to 44-321, that’s R F P O D to 44-321.  This month as we celebrate the worldwide contributions of Black Americans and those of African descent, Race Forward and Americans For The Arts launched a national annual “Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy”, scheduled to take place in September of this year. This initiative aim...

Historically, from slavery to present day, efforts to create black economic advancement have been stunted continuously either through violence, such as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, or through systemic barriers and policies responsible for creating and maintaining the racial wealth gap.  In August of last year, Edward Blum, the president of The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), and the ma...

On this bonus episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, adrienne maree brown, author of the critically acclaimed book Emergent Strategy spoke with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity’s Director of Innovative Practice Cecelia Olusola Tribbl as a part of the network’s 2023 membership meeting.    In this conversation, adrienne and Olusola talk about the importance of building dynamic partne...

This episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, recognizes Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month and International Podcast Day. Hendel Leiva, Manager of Podcasts and Audio Initiatives interviews the co-founders of BIPOC Podcast Creators Tangia Al-awaji Estrada and Maribel Quezada-Smith. In this conversation, Tangia and Maribel share their stories of how they became podcasters, the challenges they exper...

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Faron McLurkin interviews CEO of Liberated Capital Edgar Villanueva, author of the best selling book “Decolonizing Wealth.” They discuss the ongoing activism for reparations at the intersection of the racial justice movement and the philanthropic sector.   Edgar explains how his background as a pa...

On this episode of Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast, Julie Nelson, Senior Vice President of Programs at Race Forward and john a. powell, Director, Othering and Belonging Institute, come together in a conversation inspired by the recent essay they co-authored, “Advancing Just, Multiracial Democracy.”  Throughout the conversation, they explore the role local municipalities can play in not only defen...