An engaged crowd filled the Ambassador ballroom at the Marriott in downtown Detroit today, for day one of New Detroit’s conference called “Just Lead: Advancing Racial Equity.”

Best-selling author and historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and racial justice activist Jeffery Robinson will serve as the keynote speakers for an October conference on racial equality being held in Detroit.

In this special video presentation from New Detroit, a group of local voices discuss the way forward on race relations, and share some of their experiences with racism.

New Detroit is hosting the New Detroit Town Hall series about “Advancing a Racially Equitable COVID-19 Recovery.”

For more than five decades this non profit has been in the fight against racism, and you can join in with a simple signature. It’s a declaration of war against racism created by the local non profit New Detroit. “New Detroit is a coalition of leaders working to achieve racial understanding and racial equity among southeast Michigan,” said Rafferty, the CEO of New Detroit. I’ve experienced going into stores and being obviously and negatively profiled,” he said. New Detroit exists not just to fight racism, but systemic racism and getting to the root of the issue, not just the symptoms.

DETROIT Standing in the midday heat, 30 of Detroits most prominent business, political and philanthropical leaders declared they would be pushing for systemic racial change in their organizations, in education and in policing. We are now engaged in an intentional, deliberate and lasting war on racism, New Detroit chair and president of Gardner White Furniture Rachel Tronstein Stewart said. New Detroit announced a renewed focus on ending systemic racism. READ: Protesters put Detroit leaders on public tribunal amid George Floyd marchesFor every dollar a white family earns in income, a black family earns 57 cents. For every dollar a white family has in wealth a black family has 7 cents, President and CEO of New Detroit Michael Rafferty said.

The Concert of Colors is returning today to Detroit's Midtown for its 27th year. An annual summer event, the Concert of Colors is a free diversity-themed festival in metro Detroit. The Concert of Colors aims to bring together Detroits diverse communities and ethnic groups through global music and dance, as well as encourage participants to embrace freedom of expression. The Detroit Film Theatre (DFT) at the Detroit Institute of the Arts (DIA) will serve as the main stage for the event. The Concert of Colors is a pedestrian-friendly event.