Raquel Willis

How can moments of struggle help us free ourselves to bloom? In this captivating talk, Black trans activist Raquel Willis brings audiences through the themes of her debut memoir, "The Risk It Takes to Bloom." She shares her personal story, starting with her upbringing in Georgia in a Black Catholic family and how she discovered the LGBTQ+ community and found her identity. She speaks with deep compassion and vulnerability about how the unexpected death of her father pushed her to examine her relationship with herself and those she loved, and how the epidemic of violence against trans women of color inspired her to come out publicly.

A passionate and dynamic speaker, Raquel shares the path that brought her to pursuing social justice and shows us how complex moments of activation can push us all to take necessary risks and fight for collective liberation. She explains why solidarity is like a “painter’s palette”: we can all use our diverse backgrounds, interests, and talents to participate in the work that needs to be done. Audiences will walk away inspired to seize their own moments of activation and create real change in their communities.