Joe Eubanks

Discover why DEI initiatives must evolve beyond training individuals to recognize privilege and biases, shifting toward addressing systemic roots of oppression. In this session, I examine the limitations of DEI approaches centered on individual behaviors and awareness, emphasizing the need to dismantle oppressive structures for meaningful and sustainable change. Through critical analysis and actionable strategies, I guide audiences in refocusing DEI efforts on systemic issues to drive impactful progress.

Explores how writing can serve as a tool for truth-telling, reclamation, and resistance—particularly for individuals whose voices are often silenced by systems of power. The session examines how writing can be used to process harm, confront institutional betrayal, and challenge systems that claim to support equity while quietly undermining it. Drawing from experiences navigating the criminal justice system and later facing institutional barriers in leadership, attendees are guided on how to transform personal adversity into public insight. This session inspires participants to write boldly, even when systems hope they remain silent, and offers strategies to begin, sustain, and shape narratives that speak both truth and power. Ultimately, it calls for a shift from allyship to accompliceship—moving beyond symbolic support toward meaningful action.