Kansas City, Missouri, will play host to a conference designed to organize, strategize and take action to deconstruct the culture of white supremacy. The 2017 conference marks the 18th event, though this will be the event’s first time in Kansas City.
Organizers say more than 1,500 people, including high school and college students, university faculty and activists, attend the annual conference.
According to the website, white privilege is the other side of racism. Privileged people assume working hard and following rules will lead to positive outcomes. They go into public without being harassed and worried about their safety. They don’t think about their race, gender, sexual orientation, or disabilities on a daily basis.
During the conference attendees will learn about white privilege in workshops. Beginner workshops are “appropriate for individuals who have little or no knowledge about privilege, anti-racism, oppression, and intercultural issues.” The workshops allow participants to “grapple with this new information in a supportive environment.”
Advanced workshops target educators and leaders in cultural diversity, offering a way for attendees to deepen their knowledge.
Downtown Kansas City
Sponsors of the conference include Children’s Mercy Kansas City, the Western Theological Seminary, and the Sierra Club of Missouri.
The conference kicks off April 27 and runs through April 30. Registration is $230 for students and $400 for others for the full event. Guests can also attend single days at reduced cost. Space at the convention hotel–the Marriott downtown–is sold out as is space for the overflow at the Crowne Plaza downtown.