Greater Minnesota Collaboration

FREC Greater Minnesota Partnership Racial Equity Conference

Weaving a Wider Community: Seeing and Countering Racism in Our Own Backyard

Friday, October 10, 2025, starting at 8:30 am.

Online – Exclusively available to local community gatherings

Download/share the flyer for Greater Minnesota  – See below if you’re interested in hosting a local community conference gathering

OR – Check out the Twin Cities community conference gathering 

Key Note Speakers

Mrs. Jenna Grey Eagle is an Oglala Lakota woman and the Director of Strategic Growth & Community Relations at Antiracism Community Transformation (ACT), a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to building racial equity through deep dialogue, education, and collective action. With over a decade of experience in community organizing, environmental justice, and antiracism education, Jenna has worked alongside nonprofits and civic institutions to support system-wide change rooted in cultural integrity and healing.

Her work is deeply grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and informed by her lived experience as an Oglala woman working at the intersections of racial justice, ecological sustainability, and cultural sovereignty. She facilitates workshops and study dialogues, guiding individuals and organizations in developing cultural responsiveness, dismantling white supremacy, and practicing belonging without othering.

Dr. Ronald Ferguson teaches sociology at Ridgewater College, where he offers courses in areas such as racial/ethnic studies and social problems. In addition to teaching, he served as one of Minnesota State’s Equity and Inclusion Coordinators. Dr. Ferguson has published papers in several journals such as: Great Plains Sociologist, Sociological Imagination, and Educational Research: Theory and Practice. A selection of works includes the evaluation of the college experience by Native American first year students as well as exploring the parenting process in biracial identity development. He also co-authored the book: “What’s up with the Brothers? Black Masculinity in the 21st Century.” Dr. Ferguson has a long history of pursuing positive change throughout Minnesota as well as ongoing consulting with The Minnesota Group. In addition, he actively serves professional associations, including a previous position as president of the Sociologists of Minnesota. He currently resides in central Minnesota engaging in local efforts related to positive, systemic change.

Moderator

Mrs. Eryn Gee Killough, M.Ed., is a wife, mother, and educator. She has a long-time, ongoing history of striving to stand in the gap as a voice for the voiceless. As an African American living in the upper Midwest, she has come to know the social, cultural and economic challenges that racialized individuals face and how they are impacted by larger cultural systems.

Her journey began almost 20 years ago prior to arriving in Minnesota. She spent ten years in her role as administrative staff at the North Carolina General Assembly. There she witnessed first-hand issues faced by constituents in their perceived lack of agency. Mrs. Killough, M.Ed., discovered common themes through her own increasing engagements with systems’ lack of responsiveness.

These experiences led to an academic career in teaching and writing which allowed her to educate students on how to advocate for and express themselves verbally  and in writing. The scope of her professional and personal work encompasses a range of advising underserved populations often undervalued, marginalized, or minimized by culturally unresponsive practices and policies.

Mrs. Killough, M.Ed., has a number of published journal articles and book chapters that include content from the contemporary relevance of HBCUs to the effects of transgenerational stress disorder on BIPOC in America. Her speaking engagements include Parenting Skills for BIPOC Parents, How to Practice Mental Wellbeing for Those with a History of Pervasive Trauma, and Why Juneteenth Is Important for All Americans.  

Community Conference Gatherings

The Weaving a Wider Community racial equity conference is uniquely designed to meet the needs of people living in rural midwestern communities.

The conference has been specifically designed to bring engaging content to local communities through a unique pairing of online speakers and in-person local sessions. The online content which will be shared between 8:30 am and 12 pm the morning of October 10 will include a moderated conversation focused on seeing and countering racism in rural communities, paired with two outstanding keynote speakers who have experience working in these communities.

This online content will be exclusively available to local community gatherings. The local communities are responsible for planning the local gathering, securing a venue and technology for the online portion of the conference, and planning an in-person interactive activity to follow the online portion of the conference. Each community will gear their in-person activity to their specific community with the goal of extending the impact of the conference to others in the community throughout the following year.

If you are interested in hosting a local conference gathering in your community, please contact: criticalconversationmn@gmail.com or complete the google form.

The FREC Greater Minnesota Partnership committee offers technical support for local gatherings.