Description

Loretta J. Ross is a nationally renowned activist, public intellectual, and professor whose work over the past five decades has transformed how we think about human rights, equity, and social change. A sought-after speaker and strategist, she helps leaders, institutions, and communities navigate complexity with courage, clarity, and compassion. She is among the most prominent voices of “Calling In,” a transformative approach that invites empathy, accountability, and grace into difficult conversations. Her newest book, Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel (2025), builds on her nationally acclaimed work challenging cancel culture and offering a more compassionate framework for fostering dialogue across difference. As a 2022 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Loretta is helping redefine what it means to do justice work in our polarized times.

Loretta’s activism began in the 1970s, and in 1978 she became the third executive director of the DC Rape Crisis Center, the first of its kind in the United States. Her work there addressing sexual violence, particularly within communities of color, helped lay the foundation for what would later become the #MeToo movement. This formative experience grounded her in the women’s movement and introduced her to the intersections of reproductive rights, racial justice, and anti-violence advocacy. She went on to co-found the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective and held leadership roles with the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Black Women’s Health Project, and the National Anti-Klan Network. In 1996, she founded the Center for Human Rights Education—the first organization of its kind in the U.S.—to promote human rights as a unifying framework for social justice, emphasizing collaboration over division.

She is the co-author of three influential books on reproductive justice: Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice, Reproductive Justice: An Introduction, and Radical Reproductive Justice: Foundations, Theory, Practice, Critique. She is currently an Associate Professor at Smith College, where she continues to inspire students, educators, and changemakers to lead with empathy, strategy, and collective purpose.

Abstract:

With the rise of cancel culture, we often find ourselves embroiled in disagreements rather than focusing on our shared goal of advocating for human rights. To build solidarity in our work and communities, we must adopt a strategy that unites us and embraces our differences. In this transformative session, educator, activist, and scholar Loretta Ross introduces the powerful practice of “Calling In”—a compassionate alternative to canceling that emphasizes accountability, empathy, and connection. Through engaging storytelling and real-world insights, participants will explore how to navigate difficult conversations, foster deeper understanding across differences, and create more inclusive and resilient communities. Learn how to meet people where they are, while staying rooted in justice and shared humanity.