What
A 5-day conference to assess the condition of Black people in the U.S. and globally with working sessions around key issues.
State of the Black World Conference V
Global Africans Rising:
Empowerment, Reparations and Healing
Registration
*Early registration discounts ends April 1, 2023
SOBWC V to be held April 19 – 23, 2023 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD. Theme: Global Africans Rising – Empowerment, Reparations and Healing.
Hotel Accommodations
Adjacent to the Baltimore Convention Center the Hilton Inner Harbor Hotel is located in the center of Baltimore’s beautiful inner-harbor at 401 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
Book online now or call 1-800-HILTONS and reference group code “SBW”
Single or Double
$189/+tax and fees
Limited Availability. Reserve Your Room(s) Today
Book Online NowWhat is SOBWC?
Convened by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, the State of the Black World Conference is an international gathering of people of African descent to assess the condition of Black people in the U.S. and globally with working sessions around key issues.
SOBWC-V 2023 Goals
- Reassessing the Impact and Implications of the historic 2022 Mid-Term Election on the State of Black America and the Pan African world.
- Expanding the Multifaceted U.S. and Global Reparations Movements to empower and heal Black families, communities and nations.
- Advancing strategies and models to effectively address issues of vital concern to Black America and the Pan African world, e.g., the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, gun violence and fratricide, gentrification, environmental justice, climate change, safe, clean and accessible water.
- Advancing strategies and models for socially responsible, human-centered, democratic and sustainable entrepreneurial business/economic development in Black communities in the U.S. and the Pan African World.
- Mobilizing/organizing the Global Black Diaspora to engage Africa to foster the development of interdependent, self-reliant, business/economic, social and cultural enterprises, institutions and initiatives.
- Promoting a consciousness and commitment to Black self-support, self-reliance and self-determination to consolidate, expand and empower Black organizations, agencies and institutions for the survival and development of Black families, communities and nations.
- Promoting cross-generational dialogue and engagement to advance strategies and models to empower and heal Black families, communities and nations
Programmatic Features
Pan African Institute
- The State of Democracy and Development in Africa, the Caribbean Central and South America
National/International Town Hall Meetings
- The State of Black America and the Pan African World
- The State of the Global Reparations Movement
Issue Area Plenary and Working Sessions
- Environmental Justice, Climate Change and Water as A Human Right
- Displacing Black People and Black Culture: Gentrification as a State of Emergency in Black America
- Socially Responsible Black Business/Economic Development
- Combating Gun Violence and Murders/Fratricide in Black Communities: A Public Health Crisis
- Reimagining Public Safety and Law Enforcement
- Making Black Lives Matter
- Building the U.S. and Global Reparations Movements
- Hip Hop Summit: The Role of Hip Hop in the Black Freedom Struggle
Special Sessions
- Global Black Leadership Summit Breakfast
- Global Black Women’s Leadership Summit Breakfast
- Global Black Mayors and Elected Officials Roundtable Breakfast
- Crisis in Haiti: The First Black Republic
- The Black World Media Network
Opening and Closing Ndaba Plenary Sessions
- Cultural/Spiritual Rituals
- Welcome, Greetings and Solidarity Statements
- Keynote Presentations
Legacy Award and Cultural Extravaganza
- Presidential Legacy and Pan African Service Awards to Outstanding Leaders from the Global Black Community
- Cultural Presentations
- African Jump Up!
African Market Place
- Exquisite Variety of Black Arts, Crafts, Apparel and Black Products
- Exhibits by African and Caribbean Travel and Tourism Bureaus
- Informational Booths by Civil Rights, Social and Civic Organizations
- Informational Booths by Conference Sponsors
Invited Guests
*This partial list of speakers, panelists and resource persons is a representative sample of those who are being invited to participate in these roles at SOBWC IV. Most are friends, allies, supporters with whom we have excellent relationships. Therefore, we fully anticipate that the majority of them will confirm their participation.
- Hon. Addo Danka Akufo-Addo
- Hon. Mia Amor Mottley
- Hon. Dickon Mitchell
- Hon. Francia Marquez
- Hon. Hon. P.J. Patterson
- H.E. Sidique Wai
- Dr. Julius Garvey
- Danny Glover
- Marc Morial
- Dessima Williams
- Leslie Voltaire
- Jesus Chucho Garcia
- Professor Hilary Beckles
- Chavannes Jean-Baptise
- Eric Philips
- Hilary Brown
- David Comissiong
- Makmid Kamara
- Dr. Leonard Jeffries
- Dr. Greg Carr
- Susan Taylor
- Dr. Julianne Malveaux
- Mel Foote
- Akon
- Bobbi Wine
- Cong. Hakeem Jeffries
- Cong. Joyce Beatty
- Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee
- Cong. Barbara Lee
- Cong. Gregory Meeks
- Mayor Johnny Ford
- Hon. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi
- Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard
- Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba
- Mayor Ras J. Baraka
- Mayor Andre Dickens
- Hilary Shelton
- Rick Adams
- Dr. Taiwan Lovelace
- Ronald Hampton
- Sherman Lea
- Baba Greg Akili
- Kareem Aziz
- Bishop Franklin Madison Reid
- Jasiri X
- Maurice Mitchell
- Dr. George Fraser
- Dr. Stacie Grant
- Rev. Dennis Dillon
- Rev. Jonathan Weaver
- Dr. Verene Sheppard
- Haki Madhubuti
- Dayvon Love
- Jocelyn McCalla
- Monique Clesca
- Lionel Pressoir
- David Abdullah
- Dr. Claire Nelson
- Dr. Randal Pinkett
- Melanie Campbell
- Makani Themba
- Mabre-Staly-Butts, Esq.
- LaTosha Brown
- Tarana Burke
- Pastor Michael McBride
- A.T. Mitchell
- Erica Ford
- Rev. Robert Turner
- Dr. Joy DeGruy
- Areva Martin, Esq.
- Rev. Dr. Sheridan Todd Yeary
- Angela Autin
- Enola Aird, Esq.
- Damien Goodmon
- Assata Richards
- Michael Middleton
- Monique Harden, Esq.
- Bakari Kitwana
- Dr. Joe Baptiste
- Hon. Lionel Baptiste
- Mirelle Fanon Mendes France
- Don Rojas
- Nick Taliaferro
- Roland Martin
- Dr. Divine Pryor
- Dr. Melina Abdullah
- Milton Allimadi
- Dr. Muhammad Nurhussein
- Bill Fletcher
- Patrice Sultan
- George Gresham
- Dr. David Harris
- Cassandra Frederique
- Larry Hamm
- Atty. Nkechi Taifa
- Dr. Cheryl Grills
- Dr. Amara Enyia
- Robin Rue Simmons
- Kamm Howard
- Justin Hansford, Esq.
- Coumba Toure
- Emira Woods
- Dorothy Johnson-Speight
- Jennie Amison
- Marilyn Mosby
- Dr. Terry Watson
- Bashir Akinyele
- James Early
Agenda/Schedule
Some items are subject to be revised.
Day 1
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
The Pan African Institute
- Topic: The State of Democracy and Development in Africa, the Caribbean Central and South America
- Honorary Chairman: Danny Glover
- Facilitated by the Pan African Unity Dialogue
- Invited Special Guests: Hon. P.J. Patterson, Former Prime Minister, Jamaica and Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister, Grenada
12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM
Overview and Opening Statements
1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Focus: Africa
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Focus: Caribbean, Central and South America
6:00 PM– 7:15 PM
Dinner
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
National/International Town Hall Meeting
Tribute to Maurice Bishop by Invited Special Guest Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada
- Topic: The State of the Global Reparations Movement: The Way Forward
Invited Keynote Presentations:
- Hon. Nana Addo Danka Akufo-Addo, President, Republic of Ghana
- Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados
- Hon. Francia Marquez, Vice-President, Colombia
- Framing Statement/Overview: Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman, CARICOM Reparations Commission
- Moderator: Dr. Ron Daniels, President, Institute of the Black World 21st Century, Convener, National African American Reparations Commission
Day 2
Thursday, April 20, 2023
7:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Special Session
Global Black Leadership Summit Breakfast
Meeting of selected U.S. and global Civil Rights, Human Rights, Civil Society Leaders and Mayors, Elected Officials and Members of the Diplomatic Corps. for a Dialogue on the State of Black America and the Pan-African world with invited Special Guests Hon. Nana Addo Danka Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, PM Barbados, Hon. Francia Marquez, Vice-President of Colombia, Hon. Dickon Mitchell, PM Grenada and Hon. P.J. Patterson, Former PM Jamaica
Host/Facilitator: Marc Morial, President/CEO, National Urban League
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Issue Area Plenary #1
Environmental Justice, Climate Change and Water as A Human Right
Facilitators: Baba Greg Akili, Corporate Accountability and Jacqueline Patterson, Founder/Executive Director. The Chisholm Project (invited).
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Issue Area Plenary #2
Displacing Black People and Black Culture: Gentrification as a State of Emergency in Black America
Facilitators: Damien Goodman, Crenshaw Subway Coalition and Assata Richards, Sankofa Institute.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Issue Area Plenary #3
Socially Responsible Black Business/Economic Development
Facilitators: Dr. George Fraser, President/CEO, FraserNet and Dr. Stacie Grant, Chief Brilliance Officer, C&G Enterprises Unlimited, LLC. (invited).
4:15 PM – 5:45 PM
Issue Area Plenary #4
Reimagining Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Facilitators: Ronald Hampton, Convener, IBW Police Justice and Accountability Task Force and Dr. Taiwan Lovelace, Co-Convener, IBW D.C. Justice Collaborative.
5:45 PM – 7:15 PM
Dinner
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
National/International Town Hall Meeting
The State of Black America and the Pan African World
Panel of U.S. and Global Civil Rights, Human Rights, Civil Society Leaders.
Moderator(s) TBA
Day 3
Friday, April 21, 2023
7:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Special Session
Global Black Women’s Leadership Summit Breakfast
Meeting of selected U.S. and global women Civil Rights, Human Rights, Civil Society Leaders, Congressional Black Caucus, Mayors other Elected Officials and Members of the Diplomatic Corps. with Honored Guest Hon. Francia Marquez, Vice-President of Colombia to discuss Supporting the Struggle for Justice and Reparations for Afro-Descendants in Colombia
Hosts/Facilitators: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressional Black Caucus and Lead Sponsor, HR-40 and Melanie Campbell, President, Black Women’s Roundtable, Executive Director, National Coalition for Black Civic Participation
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Issue Area Plenary #5
Making Black Lives Matter
Facilitators: Dr. Melina Abdullah and Angela Austin, Black Lives Matter Grassroots.
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch
Special Session
The Black World Media Network
A discussion of the multidimensional character and potential of IBW’s Pan African media network with U.S. and global journalists, communications specialists, talk show hosts and producers.
Facilitator: Don Rojas, IBW’s Director of Communications and International Relations.
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Issue Area Plenary #6
Combating Gun Violence and Murders/Fratricide in Black Communities: A Public Health Crisis
Facilitators: Pastor Michael McBride, Director, LIVE-Free Campaign and Dorothy Johnson-Speight, Founder/President of Mothers in Charge.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Issue Area Plenary #7
Building the U.S. and Global Reparations Movements
Facilitators: Kamm Howard, Founder/Executive Director, Reparations United and Dr. Amara Enyia, Executive Director, Global Black.
4:30 PM – 6:45 PM
Dinner
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Opening Ndaba Plenary
Moderators: Rick Adams, IBW Board Chairman and Dr. Taiwan Lovelace, IBW Board Member
- Libations and Opening Rituals
- African Drumming/Dancing
- The Harambee Drummers and Dancers
- Cross-Generational Panel I: The Black, Feminist, Queer Organizing Framework
Organized and facilitated by Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) - Cross-Generational Panel II: The Role of Hip-Hop in the Black Liberation Movement
Organized and Facilitated by Bakari Kitwana, Executive Director of Rap Sessions (invited) and Jasiri X, Co-Founder/CEO, 1Hood Media (invited) - Presidential Keynote Address
Dr. Ron Daniels
Day 4
Saturday, April 22, 2023
7:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Special Session
Global Black Mayors and Elected Officials Roundtable Breakfast
Meeting with Mayors from the U.S., Africa, Caribbean and Global Black Diaspora to discuss Building Bonds of Global Power, with Special Guests: Hon. Johnny Ford and Hon. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments of Africa
Invited Facilitators: Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard and Mayor Brandon Scott
9:30 AM – 12:00 Noon
Issue Area Working Session #1
Hip Hop Summit Session #1
12:00 Noon – 1:30 PM
Lunch
Special Session
Crisis in Haiti: The First Black Republic
Facilitators: Jocelyn McCalla, CEO, JMC Strategies and Haiti Expert and Monique Clesca, Monitoring Office, The Montana Accord
1:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Issue Area Working Session #2
Hip Hop Summit Session #2
4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Issue Area Working Session #3
Hip Hop Summit Session #3
9:00 PM – Midnight
Legacy Awards and Cultural Extravaganza Benefit
International Honorees include: Hon. P.J. Patterson, Former Prime Minister, Jamaica; Hon. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, First Woman President of Liberia; Akon, Senegalese American Global Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Entrepreneur
- IBW Legacy and Pan African Achievement Awards
- Cultural Edu-Tainment
- Dance, Dance, Dance
MC TBA
Day 5
Sunday, April 23, 2023
9:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
Closing Ndaba
- Libations and Closing Rituals
- African Drumming and Dancing
- Summary Reports from Working Sessions
- Keynote Presentation
Dr. Julius Garvey, Global Pan African Advocate/Leader - Final Charge
Dr. Ron Daniels, President, IBW
Moderator: TBA
