In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”

In a time of deep division, dehumanization, and persistent injustice, it takes courage and hard work to address conflicts and unite our communities in shared purpose to wield our collective power.

How can we use love as a force for justice, democracy, and accountability? How can we break cycles of violence and hate in our communities? And how do we build inclusive, powerful movements without falling into the trap of false harmony?

Join Everyday Democracy and national leaders in accountability, belonging, and restorative justice for a dynamic conversation on using love as a force for justice, transformation, and real democracy in action. Together, we’ll explore how to confront injustice with courage, foster true belonging, and create a democracy that works for everyone.

Christina Greer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus. Her research and teaching focus on American politics, Black ethnic politics, campaigns and elections, and public opinion. She is the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream,” “How to Build a Democracy from Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams,” and co-editor of “Black Politics in Transition: Immigration, Suburbanization, and Gentrification.” Greer writes a weekly column for The Amsterdam News, is a frequent political commentator on several media outlets, and is the co-host of FAQ-NYC.

Danielle Sered is the founder and Executive Director of Common Justice, where she leads local and national efforts to hold people accountable for harm, break cycles of violence, and secure safety, healing, and justice for survivors and their communities. Common Justice develops and advances solutions to violence that transform the lives of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration. Danielle is an award-winning author and expert on violence and mass incarceration, and has served on the Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims, the New York State Governor’s Council on Reentry and Community Reintegration, and the Executive Session on the Future of Justice Policy in America.

Merle McGee (Moderator) is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Everyday Democracy. Merle brings over 25 years’ experience in non-profit settings fighting alongside historically marginalized and excluded communities for dignity and racial, gender, and economic justice. Before joining Everyday Democracy, Merle served as Chief Equity and Engagement Officer at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, where she led organizational transformation through community engagement initiatives. She is also co-facilitator and leader with the Anti-Racist Alliance and the co-founder of the The BIPOC Project, an antiracist collective committed to building solidarity among people of color.