2023 Virtual Signature Conference Series | Registration

Action for a Better Community’s 2023 Signature Conference will be a continuation of our social justice work.  The conference content on January 12th and 19th will be delivered virtually.  On January 26th we will host an awards breakfast at the Memorial Art Gallery.  Due to the pandemic, we have not held an in-person awards event in over 3 years.  It’s time.  There are many deserving people who have consistently worked to enable equity and justice in Rochester and Monroe County.  The limited seating event is a way for us to show our appreciation to those individuals.

The theme, “Empowerment, Equity & Accountability… the Journey Ahead” is an acknowledgment that we have a significant amount of work to do in order to achieve equity for all people. Equity is and will be the fruit of economic and social justice. The theme is also an indication of our intent to ongoing collaborative work to enable and empower those that have been systemically marginalized for too long.

Participants should expect Action for a Better Community to continue our advocacy to advance health equity, with a particular focus on maternal health. We will surely be advocating for the reduction and ultimate elimination of all disparities around the various social determinants of health (SDOH). Closing the racial wealth gap remains a focus as we are clear that doing so is a primary way to achieve economic justice. At the 2022 Signature Conference, we introduced the term “green lining” into the social justice lexicon.  We will be expanding that discussion by including other aspects of the homeownership process as a means to make homeownership a reality for many more Monroe County residents.

The issue of violence in our city is one that we must address.  The impact of this unprecedented level of violence that we are experiencing has the potential to undermine the work that we and so many other human service organizations are doing.  On day #2 of the conference, there will be a keynote and panel discussion focused on violence prevention and our collective role in making Rochester a much safe place for its residents, those who work there and its visitors.

Over the last several years, the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been on the minds of many… the private sector, municipalities, the not-for-profit sector, higher education, philanthropy and more.  From an accountability lens, we will examine the community impact of the various DEI initiatives in our county.  What, if anything has changed?  What should we expect to change and when?  Should DEI get us closer to equity, or is it another knee-jerk reaction to systemic injustice?  Is it transactional or transformational? A panel of experts will address these and other related questions on the afternoon of day #1. Also, on the afternoon of day #1, there will be a panel discussion centered on educational options for community empowerment. This panel will explore and elaborate on the various options our young, and not so young, people have that enables pathways to economic sustenance. There are major development projects coming to Rochester.  We want to ensure that all people, particularly those who have been systemically marginalized, are aware and prepared to fully participate in these opportunities. The unprecedented level of funding coming here presents the opportunity to do things differently; to allocate funds with freshly informed equity lenses.

We invite you to demonstrate your commitment to “Empowerment, Equity & Accountability…the Journey Ahead” by becoming a partner in our social justice work. Your support will enable ABC to convene New York State lawmakers, local legislators, leaders in the health care and human service industries, and leaders from financial institutions and more to determine the best ways to enable equity and justice for all on our way to a new normal.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION & FEE