Biannual gathering designed to cultivate community, spark dialogue, and mobilize action.
August 21 & 22, 2025
Omaha, Nebraska
About The Summit
Held in Omaha, Nebraska, this year’s theme—Tending to Our Gardens—invites us to explore what it means to care for ourselves, each other, and the systems we’re reshaping. Together, we’ll dig into urgent issues shaping communities today, including economic opportunity, reproductive wellbeing, and neighborhood investment.
With engaging breakout sessions, thought-provoking conversations, and intentional moments to rest and reconnect, The Summit offers a space to learn, reflect, and grow—both personally and collectively.
It’s not just an event; it’s an invitation to be part of a movement rooted in care, power, and possibility.
Schedule |
Schedule |
What to Expect:
We’ve intentionally curated a day that nourishes the mind, body, and spirit — filled with storytelling, connection, and collective reflection.
Thursday
Day 1: Welcome Reception
08/21
Enjoy light appetizers and live music from Enjoli & Timeless on the Cass Patio at the Hilton Omaha Lobby.
Admission is from 5-8pm.
Day 2: Conference
Friday
08/22
8:00–9:00 AM – Ease into the day with breakfast and check-in
9:15 AM – Indigenous performance and land acknowledgement
9:30–9:50 AM – Welcome and grounding into our shared purpose
10:00 AM–12:00 PM – Breakout sessions designed to dig deep and grow together
12:00–1:30 PM – A shared meal, conversation, and inspiration with Jewel Rogers and our keynote experience
1:30–2:30 PM – Explore the expo and connect with local leaders and changemakers
2:30 PM – Closing reflections and an energizing African performance to send us off in power
SPEAKERS |
SPEAKERS |
Keynote Speaker
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist | Creator of The 1619 Project
IBBG is honored to welcome Nikole Hannah-Jones as the keynote speaker for The Summit 2025: Tending to Our Garden. Known for her bold investigative reporting and unwavering commitment to racial justice, Hannah-Jones brings a powerful voice to this year’s gathering.
She is the creator of The 1619 Project, a groundbreaking initiative from The New York Times Magazine that reframes U.S. history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of the national narrative. The project has been adapted into a #1 New York Times bestselling book and an Emmy Award-winning docuseries on Hulu.
In addition to her work as a journalist, Hannah-Jones serves as the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University and is the founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy.
Her accolades include:
Pulitzer Prize for Commentary
MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship
NAACP Image Award
TIME 100: Most Influential People
Her commitment to truth-telling, justice, and collective liberation aligns deeply with the mission of IBBG.
Breakout session speakers and facilitators will be announced soon.
Stay tuned for updates!
“The garden is a space where we cultivate the conditions for our freedom.”
bell hooks
Our Sponsors
“IBBG serves as a collective for Black women, femmes, and girls to actualize their full potential to authentically be — through autonomy, abundance, and liberation.”
Ashlei Spivey, Executive Director
The Summit |
The Summit |
A Look back at the 2023 Justice Summit
Our inaugural Summit in 2023 was a powerful gathering of shared space, deep conversation, and collective learning. Together, we explored what it means to build a future rooted in justice, care, and community.
From our mainstage speakers—Charlene Carruthers, Jennie Joseph, Dominique Morgan, and the incomparable Dr. Angela Davis—to a dynamic group of breakout facilitators, we created space to explore the local-to-global impact of the Reproductive Justice movement. Attendees engaged with the work, reflected on the interconnectedness of our lives, and built lasting connections across sectors.
The energy continued in the halls, where local businesses and organizations shared their offerings and sparked new relationships. It was, in every way, a time to remember.
Want to see more of what we built together?