2025 NNSP Annual Conference

In less than 10 years, the term “woke” has been resurrected as shorthand for antiracist and social justice consciousness, appropriated to disparage liberalism, deployed to polarize and obscure dialogue about the urgency and relevance of DEI work in our communities, and misused to object to just about anything perceived as progressive. Increasingly challenged for being too woke or not woke enough, organizations are playing heavy defense, too often on someone else’s terms. At stake aren’t just equity and inclusion initiatives, but the promise of mission and core values, and the mutual safety, dignity, belonging and thriving of our communities. In discussion with each other, participants will:_x000D_
• Deepen understandings of “wokeness” and “anti-wokeness;” _x000D_
• Recognize how the “woke” v. “anti-woke” tug-of-war sets us up and prevents progress; and_x000D_
• Practice using the language of mission and core values to engage resistance to DEI, and clarify and own what their community stands for.