2025 Conference Recap
The 2025 Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference brought together more than 500 participants across two days of dialogue, learning, and action. Organized by Christopher Newport University’s Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice (CCEJ), the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology (SSWA), and the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Christian Community Development Association, this year’s conference theme was Elevating Voices, Igniting Change.
Now in its fourth year, the Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference has become one of the region’s most significant gatherings for researchers, policymakers, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, faith leaders, activists, students, and community members working on today’s most pressing issues of justice and equity.
The 2025 program featured an expansive lineup of keynote addresses, plenary sessions, a film screening, poster presentations, and nearly 50 concurrent sessions—many of them standing-room only—on topics including housing and eviction, criminal justice reform, health equity, and environmental justice. The nonprofit fair showcased the work of 50 regional organizations. A highlight of this year’s conference was a keynote address and book signing by Mitch Landrieu, former Mayor of New Orleans and White House Infrastructure Czar under former President Biden.
“One of the highlights for me was the sense of solidarity and shared purpose throughout the conference. As someone who is a part of the human rights community, it was powerful to be in a space where so many voices were focused on justice, equity, and actionable change.
Another highlight was hearing from grassroots leaders who are doing impactful work locally—those stories really brought theory into practice.”
Expanding Youth Engagement
We welcomed nearly 100 local high school students and teachers for a special screening of the PBS/American Experience documentary American Coup: Wilmington 1898. This opportunity to engage young people in conversations about race, democracy, and justice was made possible through the generous support of the CNU College of Arts and Humanities and the CNU Office of Admission.
“This was a really uplifting and empowering conference. There were so many workshops it was difficult to choose which to attend!
It was great to see young folks in attendance - high schoolers, young professionals, and college students.”
Spotlight on the Arts
The inaugural Social Justice Art Exhibition, led in partnership with acclaimed Hampton Roads artist Clayton Singleton, drew over 80 submissions from student artists across the region. Selected works were displayed digitally throughout the conference and 12 finalists were showcased in person during the conference’s closing reception.
Environmental Justice & Community Storytelling Tour
A pre-conference Environmental Justice and Community Storytelling Tour gave 20 attendees the opportunity to visit three sites of documented environmental injustice across the Virginia Peninsula. Supported by the Virginia Geographic Alliance, the tour offered firsthand insights from local activists and community leaders working to advance environmental equity.
“The preconference Environmental Justice tour was incredibly impactful!
I appreciated that each stop of the tour was facilitated by community leaders. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality!
I was also happy to see art incorporated into so much of the conference this year - more of that, please!”
“I needed the reminder that so many people care—that we’re in this together—that people are doing the work they can in their lane and I gained an energy boost to keep doing what I can in my own lane.”
Powered by Partnerships and Community Support
This year’s conference was made possible by a record number of sponsors, including the Virginia Geographic Alliance, Hampton Roads Community Foundation, Anthem HealthKeepers+, Faith Walk Hampton, the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Christian Community Development Network, and the Newport News Green Foundation. Additional support came from across Christopher Newport University, including the College of Social Sciences, the College of Arts and Humanities, the Reiff Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, the Center for Education Research and Policy, the Center for Public History, the Department of History, the Hampton Roads Oral History Project, and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program.
Planning is already underway for the 2026 Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference.
“I love that this conference is very broad in its approach to social justice issues by including academics, community leaders, faith based organizations, non-profits, and consumers of services.”