







K. Agbebiyi
Jason Ajiake
Geri Augusto
Monifa Bandele
Freddie Green Biddle
Kwame Brown
Monique Eversley Buchanan
Kenneth Campbell
Chris Chatmon
Duane Clemmer
Charles Cobb
Shirley Cooks
Courtland Cox
Emilye Crosby
Ajamu Dillahunt
Pastel Dunn
Tony Gittens
Sue Goodwin
Da’Shaun Harrison
Bruce Hartford
Jennifer Hayman
Nadinea Hobbs-English
Wesley Hogan
Ayanna Jackson
Kim Johnson
Damen Johnson
Darrien Johnson
Chipp Jones
Niani Kilkenny
Sharlene Kranz
Joyce Ladner
Jennifer Lawson
Michael Lomax
Zoe Lowry
Danita Mason-Hogans
Catherine Murphy
Joshua Myers
Cheyenne Na’shay
Cynthia Goodloe Palmer
Gary Penn
Jonathan Piper
Charles Powell
Judy Richardson
Betty Garman Robinson
Larry Rubin
Bunmi Samuel
Billy Sanders
Joy Shaw
Zoharah Simmons
Frank Smith
Karen Spellman
Tuan Tran
Emmett Williams
Aisha Winfield
Ursula Wolfe-Rocca
Dorothy Zellner
How to Have a Great Conference Experience
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STEP 2
Enter your First Name, Last Name, and Email Address (that is connected to your registration)

STEP 3
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STEP 4
Enter the verification code on the screen

STEP 5
If you see the SNCC logo at the top left corner and the list of upcoming sessions, you are now in the Lobby*.
*During the conference the Lobby is the connection point for all events and where you will want to return after the end of a session to move on to your next agenda item.
Learn More About the SNCC 60th Conference Features Below
ORGANIZING OUR STRENGTH FOR TOMORROW
SNCC 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: A MULTI-GENERATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sixty years ago, young activists gathered at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 15, 1960, to begin planning their generation’s obligation to continue a struggle that began long before they were born: the freedom and empowerment of Black people. Following this initial gathering, students met again in October in Atlanta, Georgia, and formally named their new organization the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC was then the only youth-led national civil rights organization. Now, at this important time in our history, we invite you to join us, virtually, on October 14-16, 2021 to honor and carry this struggle forward. We plan to bring together not just SNCC veterans, but also a wide array of today’s young on-the-ground activists and organizers. It is not a gathering of reminiscence. It is a gathering of strength and will to face the future with determination, optimism… and continued organizing.
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Now

Agenda
Agenda Subject To Change
Freedom Film Festival

SNCC Freedom Festival Films include:
Summer of Soul
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Available: October 12th – 13th
Caste in the Classroom
Janet Moses
Available: October 11th – 17th
Dick Gregory, They’re Asking Different Questions Today
Natalie Bullack Brown
Available: October 11th – 17th
First Rainbow Coalition
Ray Santisteban
Available: October 11th – 17th
Freedom on My Mind
Connie Field and Marilyn Mulford
Available: October 11th – 17th
Freedom Song
Phil Alden Robinson
Available: October 11th – 13th
(only for the first 500 viewers)
Institution-Building in Washington DC: Four strikes from the Black Power Chronicles
Karen Spellman, moderator
Available: October 11th – 17th
Let the People Decide
Gavin Guerra
Available: October 11th – 17th
Our Voices – Charlie Cobb and Phil Agnew Interview
Roland S. Martin
Available: October 11th – 17th
SNCC
Danny Lyon
Available: October 11th – 17th
SNCC 50th Freedom Concert
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Available: October 11th – 17th
Suppressed 2020: The Fight To Vote
Robert Greenwald
Available: October 11th – 17th
They Say I’m Your Teacher
Lucy Massie Phenix and Catherine Murphy
Available: October 11th – 17th
Time to Get Ready Photo Exhibit
Maria Varela
Available: October 11th – 17th
Turning 15 On the Road to Freedom
Fracaswell Hyman
Available: October 11th – 17th
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Book Talks

18 One on One Interviews Available to Registrants from October 11 until January 9, 2022
Meet the Authors: A Legacy of Excellence in SNCC Literature
Since their service in SNCC in the 1960’s, many SNCC veterans have penned memoirs and studies of their time in the Southern Civil Rights Movement. We have gathered 19 of these authors for one-on-one interviews about their work and their books. These are the people who were ‘on the ground’ with SNCC in Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and North and South Carolina. Their first person accounts bring the history and legacy of SNCC to life for today’s readers and activists.
A special thanks to the volunteer interviewers: Dr. Geri Augusto (Brown University); Dr. Wesley Hogan (Duke); Dr. Emilye Crosby (SUNY Geneseo); Jennifer Lawson (SNCC Legacy Project), Larry Rubin (SNCC Legacy Project), and Danita Mason-Hogans (Duke). Their probing questions led the authors lovingly to tell their unique stories.

19 One on One Interviews Available to Registrants from October 11 until January 9, 2022
Hands on the Freedom Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC includes the testimonies of 52 women – southern and northern; urban and rural; Black, white, and Latina – who share their courageous stories of organizing with SNCC on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement. The editors – 3 Black, 3 white – spent 15 years gathering and editing these stories. As one contributor said: “In SNCC I felt I could do anything I was big enough to do.” The book is now available in hardback, paper and as an e-book (Univ. of Ill. Press).
Hands on the Freedom Plow is available for purchase at Harriets Bookstore.
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Plenary and Concurrent Sessions
The SNCC 60th Anniversary Conference Plenary and Concurrent Sessions will begin on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 1pm EDT and conclude on Saturday, October 16, 2021. In addition to the Plenary and Concurrent Sessions, there will be the “Stand Up and Shout” Freedom Concert on Friday, October 15, 2021 beginning at 5pm EDT.
Thursday, October 14
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM ET
Plenary Session
The Power of the Past
Hard-won and hard-fought for gains in education and in political arenas are under assault as we view today’s voter suppression and voter nullification in a larger context. This has happened before and it informs our analysis as we pivot from the historical to an analysis of what is happening now.
Charlie Cobb
SNCC Veteran, Journalist, Author, Activist
D’Atra Jackson
National Director, BYP100
Hasan Kwame Jeffries
Associate Professor of History, The Ohio State University
Charles Taylor
Principal, at Peyton Strategies
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP)
Organizing to Make Political Change – 1961 – 1964
The organizing strategies used by the Black community in Mississippi to end the denial of the right to vote between 1961 -1964.
Freddie Biddle
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
Charles McLaurin
Community Organizer and Civil Rights Activist
Leslie McLemore
Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Jackson State University
Hollis Watkins
SNCC Veteran, Founder of the Mississippi Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Lowndes County Freedom Party (LCFP)
Putting Black Power Into Practice – 1965 – 1969
The political educational campaign and organizing strategies that the Black community in Lowndes County used to secure both the vote and assume political power.
Courtland Cox
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Chair
Hasan Kwame Jeffries
Associate Professor of History, The Ohio State University
Jennifer Lawson
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Making Our Way Into Political Office to Make Change
Using Political Office of Make Change – 1968 – Present
Using the power of political office to meet the policy, legislative and financial needs of the Black community.
Honorable Shirley Franklin
Former Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba
Attorney and Former Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi
Mayor Steven Reed
Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama
Corey Wiggins
Executive Director, Mississippi State Conference NAACP
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Organizing the Black Community to Get Out and Vote in 2022 and 2024: A Heavy Lift
Using the power of political office to meet the policy, legislative and financial needs of the Black community.
How to improve strategies used in the 2020 Presidential campaign in the 2022 congressional, state and local elections, and the 2024 Presidential election.
DeJuana Thompson
Founding Partner, Think Rubix & Founder, Woke Vote
Nse Ufot
Chief Executive Officer, New Georgia Project
Jamal Watkins
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Advancement at the NAACP
Dominik Whitehead
Vice President of Campaigns, NAACP
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
A Case Study: The Fight for the Educational Ballot Initiative in Mississippi
Quality education is essential. Hear the dramatic story of what happens when a state’s citizens push to implement public a step forward through the ballot. There are lessons for us all.
Frank Figgers
Consultant, One Voice Inc.
Nsombi Lambright- Haynes
Executive Director, One Voice
Charles Taylor
Principal, at Peyton Strategies
Amber Thomas
Vice President of Effectiveness and Improvements in Operations, NAACP
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Attorneys General and District Attorneys and the Struggle to Make the Justice System Work
Using the power of political office to meet the policy, legislative and financial needs of the Black community.
Discussion of justice leads to the importance of district attorneys and attorneys general and the role voters can play in creating legal systems that work for all.
District Attorney Scott Colom
District Attorney for Circuit Court District Sixteen in Mississippi
Fred Cooke
Attorney, Former Corporate Counsel for the District of Columbia
State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby
State’s Attorney for Baltimore, Maryland
Tre Murphy
Director of Community Organizing for the NAACP-Legal Defense and Educational Fund
5:10 PM – 7:00 PM ET
SNCC – 60 Years Strong! A celebratory event honoring SNCC and its veterans
REMEMBERING AND CELEBRATING
This gathering is also a time to remember the many SNCC members who have passed away since 2010. In a brief period of reverence, we will reflect together on who they were and consider the many lives they touched through their work in the Movement and beyond. We will also celebrate them and revel in the joy that after 60 years the camaraderie and caring still exist. Our community is one of multiple generations and is enriched by the mingling of different ideas and spirit. Join small groups in virtual breakout rooms to resume the discussion you never finished or start a new one; to meet those with whom you worked together or simply to see friends and catch up on whatever you’d like. Details for small group locations online will be provided in the Conference Lobby.
Hosted by SNCC Veterans
Frank Smith and Jennifer Lawson
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Friday, October 15, 2021
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM ET
Plenary Session
Criminal Justice: Effecting Change at City, County and State Levels
The Black community encounters policies and actions of government at the municipal, county and state levels daily. Change at these levels can immediately relieve some of the most fundamental problems faced by many, especially disparities in the criminal justice system.
Attorney General Keith Ellison
Attorney General, Minnesota
James Forman, Jr.
Professor of Law at Yale Law School
Judy Richardson
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Policing and Changing the Mission of the Criminal Justice System
What some see as a solution, others see as a problem. This paradox is at the heart of many issues related to policing, community safety and criminal justice. What are possible pathways that insure security and justice?
James Forman, Jr.
Professor of Law at Yale Law School
Tishaura Jones
Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri
Roberto Rodriguez
Emeritus Associate Professor, Mexican American Studies Dept, University of Arizona
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Economic Power and Economic Security
A political presence alone does not guarantee the wellbeing of the Black community. How do we insure that we are politically and economically poised for dramatic improvements at all levels?
Rev. Delman Coates
Senior Pastor, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church
Wole Coaxum
Founder & CEO at Mobility Capital Finance, Inc. (“MoCaFi”)
William Darity
American Economist
Paul Pryde
Consultant to NorCal FDC
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Education for Self Determination and the Future Economy
What is necessary to actually educate and insure a strong economic presence for the Black Community in the 21st Century?
Russlynn Ali
Chief Executive Officer, XQ Institute
Danny Glover
Speaker, Actor, Activist, Humanitarian
Maisha Moses
Executive Director at The Young People’s Project
BJ Walker
President and Founder, In The Public Way
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Artist as Activist
The role of the artist in making and sustaining political change.
Andrew Aydin
Co-Author with John Lewis of the graphic books MARCH and RUN
Emory Douglas
Artist & Former Minister of Culture, Black Panther Party
Jonathan Lykes
Founder & Executive Director, Liberation House
Sonia Sanchez
Poet, Activist, and Scholar
AB Spellman
Poet, Music Critic, and Former Director at the National Endowment of the Arts
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Affordable Housing
The issue of affordable housing and the creation of safe, stable neighborhoods needs to be addressed. Are there models that point towards a promising future?
Avram Fechter
Managing Director at EquityPlus
Merrick Malone
President at District of Columbia Housing Enterprises
Chris Smith
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WC Smith
Adrian Washington
CEO & Founder, Neighborhood Development Company
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Importance of Land and the Fight Against Food Insecurity
Thousands of people live in food deserts, are dependent on food handouts and spend their days without enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs, especially those of children. Innovative solutions and proposals for lasting change are coming from urban centers and rural areas fighting Black land loss.
Savi Horne
Executive Director at Land Loss Prevention Project
Leah Penniman
Black Kreyol Farmer, Author, and Food Justice Activist
Shirley Sherrod
Co-Founder, Southwest Georgia Project and New Communities Inc.
Malik Yakini
Executive Director, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ET
“Stand Up and Shout: The SNCC Freedom & Justice Concert” featuring 60 years of voices of artists/activists
Virtual performances by The Freedom Singers, Toshi Reagon, Imani Winds, Martha Redbone, Johnathan Lykes, Rev. Sekou, Mathew Swanson, and C. Anthony Bryant. Join us for a joyful hour bearing witness to the powerful ways in which our lives have been transformed through the music and words of the Movement.
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Saturday, October 16, 2021
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM ET
Plenary Session
The Path Forward: A Look at the 21st Century Racial Environment
Racial divisions present a stark reality and in the midst of this, we must firmly secure our rights and create the benefits a democratic and equitable society that works for all. What are some of the visions that will guide us?
Charlie Cobb
SNCC Veteran, Journalist, Author, Activist
Judith Browne Dianis
Executive Director, National Office at Advancement Project
Derrick Johnson
President and CEO of the NAACP
Imani Perry
Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies, Princeton University
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Importance of the Narrative: HBCUs and Africana Studies Programs
Preserving our culture and passing the wealth of knowledge from generation to generation is essential. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Black Studies and Africana programs play an important role.
Wisdom Cole
Interim Director at NAACP
Michael Lomax
President and Chief Executive Officer, UNCF
Josh Myers
Associate Professor of Africana Studies in the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University
Noliwe Rooks
Chair & Professor in Africana Studies at Brown University
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
A Model for Black-Brown Movement Building
Latina/o/x, Indigenous, and Black communities all experience racism, inequality and injustice. A look at models of movement building in these communities offers useful lessons for us all.
Rachel Gilmer
Co-Director of the Dream Defenders
Paul Ortiz
Professor of History and Director of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, University of Florida
Zoharah Simmons
Professor Emerita, African American Religions & Islamic Studies,
The University of Florida and SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
Maria Varela
Organizer, Writer, Photographer and Occasional Adjunct Professor
2:25 PM – 3:35 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Where Do We Go From Here?
As we look towards the future, what must we do to strengthen and protect the Black community? How will technological and demographic change affect Black struggle?
Melina Abdullah
Professor and Chair at California State University, Los Angeles
Phil Agnew
Organizer + Artist
Dr. Geri Augusto
Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs, Brown University
Ash-Lee W-Henderson
Co-Executive Director, Highlander Research and Education Center
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
Telling and Teaching the SNCC Story From the Inside Out and the Bottom Up
The SNCC Digital Gateway (SDG), the Civil Rights Movement Archive (CRMA) and Zinn Education Project offer three useful examples of framing the story from the inside out and the bottom up. However, these important resources will mean nothing if teachers are prevented from using them. Fortunately, educators continue to teach “hard history” and highlight the “ordinary” people —like those in their students’ own communities and the students themselves — who were/are activists in civil rights and human rights movements. Knowing this history helps students better understand the present… and their role in shaping the future.
Deborah Menkart
Executive Director at Teaching for Change
Judy Richardson
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
Jessica Rucker
Electives Teacher & Department Chair, Euphemia Lofton Haynes HS
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Power to Decide: The Importance of Building Political Alliances and Strategic Coalitions
As we look towards the future, what must we do to strengthen and protect the Black community? How will technological and demographic change affect Black struggle?
Heather Booth
American Civil Rights Activist
Denise Diaz
Co-director, Central Florida Jobs with Justice & Nat’l Chair of Jobs with Justice Education Fund
Adam Kruggel
Director of Strategic Initiatives at People’s Action
Larry Rubin
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Board Member
3:50 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Concurrent Session
The Importance of Controlling Local, State and Federal Budgets
It’s in the budget! Politicians can say anything, but their actions are shown in budgets. Whether it’s policing, schools, or clean water, there are surprising answers to be found by looking in budgets that determine so much.
Kwame Brown
Entrepreneur, Public Speaker, Managing Editor, AlwaysRealTalk Network, Political Analyst
Elijah Rogers
President Emeritus & Senior Advisor with Delon Hampton & Associates, Chartered
Carol Thompson Cole
President and CEO at Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP+Raise DC)
5:10 PM – 6:15 PM ET
A Salute to Past Generations and the Encouragement of Upcoming Generations
Young organizers and activists of today join SNCC in looking at the years ahead with an eye on both the immediate challenges and those in the distant future.
Courtland Cox
SNCC Veteran, SNCC Legacy Project Chair
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Leadership
HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
SNCC LEGACY PROJECT BOARD
PLANNING COMMITTEE
- Freddie Greene Biddle
- Charles Cobb
- Shirley Wright Cooks
- Courtland Cox
- Bruce Hartford
- Joshua M. Myers
- Kimberly Johnson
- Sharlene Kranz
- Joyce Ladner
- Jennifer Lawson
- Judy Richardson
- Larry Rubin
- Zoharah Simmons
- Karen Spellman
FAQ
What is the SNCC 60th Anniversary Virtual Conference?
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was a civil rights organization that was founded in April 1960 at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. Student leaders from colleges across the south who were involved in sit-ins and other direct action to protest segregation came together for a Southwide Youth Leadership Conference. Remember, in 1960 there was no Internet, no e-mail, no IM, no phone conferencing. So getting together in person was the best way for the disparate groups to meet each other and strategize together. Delegates came to the founding conference from colleges all across the South. (For a complete list of the colleges represented go to https://snccdigital.org/events/founding-of-sncc/)
The SNCC 60th Anniversary Conference in October celebrates the anniversary of the October 1960 conference that officially made SNCC an organization. SNCC the organization was active from 1960 to around 1970. While it is no longer in existence, its legacy continues through the SNCC Legacy Project. Our vision is that SNCC veterans from the 1960s and the leaders of today’s social justice movements will meet and share and plan for the future.
Who is organizing the Conference?
The SNCC Legacy Project came into being after the SNCC 50th Anniversary Conference in April 2010. The Legacy Project are SNCC veterans and a few younger allies who work to share the legacy of SNCC with today’s social justice activists, historians, and future researchers. To register for the Conference click HERE
Where and when will the Conference be held?
This is a virtual completely online Conference. While Covid-19 restrictions prevent us from meeting in person, we can be together on Zoom for a meaningful and joyous gathering.
What will the program look like?
Our program committee is actively planning an exciting, informative and inspiring program for the three days of the Conference. Programming will run from 1pm to 6pm (EDT) on October 14, 15, 16, 2021, and will include plenary sessions, workshops, breakout groups, a book fair, music and other cultural events.
What will the Conference cost?
Registration for adults is $100.
Registration for students is $50.
How can I be in touch with the Conference organizers?
Write us at info@SNCC60thAnniversary.org.
I've already registered. How can I log in?
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Conference FAQ
Are all times on the agenda Eastern Daylight Times?
Yes
Will you be using Zoom?
We will not be using zoom for most of the conference, but the celebration / mixer on Thursday, October 14th at 5:10pm uses zoom so that we can see one another. Please note: When you participate in all other conference sessions, you will not be seen or heard. You will be able to engage with the other attendees through the chat. You are also able to ask questions using the Q&A feature.
Can I join the conference on my cell phone or tablet?
You can access the conference from your computer or a mobile device (cell phone or tablet). Using a chrome browser on a desktop or laptop computer provides the best experience.
How do I contact the help desk for tech support?
Tech Support is available Monday, Oct 11, 2021 – Saturday, October 16, 2021
10:00am – 6:00pm ET
Email: info@sncc60thanniversary.org
Phone: 267-477-3763
How do I watch films in the SNCC Freedom Film Festival? Are the films free?
You can watch Freedom Film Festival films by logging onto the conference website and clicking on the “Film Festival” button. Viewing the films is free of charge for registrants. Please pay attention to dates of availability and instructions for watching your film.
Will the conference sessions be available after the conference?
Yes. Conference sessions will be available in the On Demand section until January 2022. If you are in the lobby and click on “Schedule” at the top of the screen you will see On Demand in the drop down options.
Why do some sessions say “included session”?
Everyone that is registered for the conference has the plenary sessions and daily closing celebrations automatically added to your schedule. You are able to select which concurrent sessions you would like to add to your personal schedule. To view your schedule go to the lobby and click the calendar icon at the top right of your screen (next to the notification bell).
Can I move from one concurrent conference session to another?
Yes. Simply press the “add” button next to the session that you would like to view. If you leave the session you can press the “remove” button next to that session on the agenda and add a different session.
What is a card?
Once inside the lobby you will see at the bottom square cards which show conference resources and areas to connect you further with the work of SNCC. By clicking this square card, you will be able to view the card you clicked in another window. You will not be logged off when you click this square card.
Will there be virtual social gatherings during the conference?
Yes there is one social event on Thursday at 5:10pm. It will include an In Memoriam segment followed by a mixer where attendees will get together in small groups. This session has been added to your agenda automatically along with the plenary sessions.
Where can I find a list of people attending the conference?
You can find the list in the lobby if you select “attendee” at the top of your screen. Each person has the ability to select if they want to be visible at this same location under the “attendee” link at the top of your screen. Anyone that has selected to be visible will be shown on the list.
How do I change my profile picture and information?
When you are in the lobby, hover over your initials at the top right corner and select “view profile”. First you can set your visibility status to visible or hidden. Next you can click on the edit pencil next to your name to add a photo, update your name, job title, and company. Once you have completed that you can click on the edit pencil next to bio to add some information about yourself. This is also where you can include your phone number, website, email address or other ways to contact you if you choose.
Is there a way for me to provide feedback?
A survey link will be available in the lobby above the session listing. We appreciate hearing from you and welcome your feedback.
SNCC 60th Anniversary Sponsors












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