JUNE 15–19, 2026 · FREE EVENT · HOSTED BY DR. JOYEE WASHINGTON
National black researchers week
National Black Researchers Week is a free, five-day virtual experience created to celebrate, restore, and reconnect Black researchers — and everyone who stands with them — during one of the most important weeks of the year.
Free to attend. Fully virtual. Open to all. Centering Black researchers.
truth be told
You've been carrying this work.
It's time someone carried you.
You didn't come into research to feel invisible.
You came to ask the questions nobody else was asking. To center the communities that data has historically left out. To do work that was rigorous and rooted.
But somewhere along the way,
The system made it harder to breathe.
Funding dried up. Institutional support disappeared. The DEI infrastructure that created your pathway got dismantled. And you're still expected to produce, publish, and perform like none of that happened.
If you're tired of carrying all of that alone this week was built for you.
Everyone is welcome. Everyone is included.
We are intentionally spotlighting and creating space for Black researchers and we invite anyone who believes in that mission to stand with us.
This week is for you if you are:
A Black researcher at any stage of your career
A community researcher building solutions for your people
A public health, healthcare, education, STEM or any professional navigating this moment
A graduate student trying to find your footing
A consultant or entrepreneur doing research-adjacent work
An academic questioning whether the institution has space for you
Someone who supports Black researchers and wants to show up
Week At A Glance
Here’s what’s on the agenda for National Black Researchers Week
Monday, June 15 at 6:00pm-7:30pm CT
The Culture Is the Method: Building Black Research Practice Across the African Diaspora
What happens when Black researchers center culture not just in the topic of research — but in the practice of research itself? This opening fireside conversation explores how scholars across the African diaspora are embedding cultural knowledge, lived experience, storytelling, and Black ways of knowing into research methodology, innovation, and practice across disciplines.
Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00pm-7:30pm CT
Write With Power & Publish Yo $#!T: Finding Purpose in Manuscript Writing and Publishing
Your writing is more than a publication requirement — it is part of your legacy. This interactive workshop helps researchers reconnect with the power, purpose, and impact of their words while developing a personal Manuscript Manifesto to guide their writing journey. We’ll talk authorship, visibility, citation politics, and why citing Black researchers matters.
Wednesday, June 17 at 6:00pm-7:30pm CT
Research to Revenue: Reimagining Black Research Careers Beyond the Institution
Academia and government are valid pathways, but they are not the only pathways. This conversation highlights Black entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders who are leveraging research skills to build businesses, create community-centered solutions, and design careers beyond traditional institutions. Because research expertise is valuable far beyond the university walls.
Thursday, June 18 at 12:00pm-1:00pm CT
Rest Is the Revolution: Black Researcher Co-Rest
No presentations. No productivity. No pressure. Just space to breathe. This co-rest gathering is designed for Black researchers to pause, exhale, and reconnect with themselves and one another in community. Because rest is not a reward for surviving the system, it is part of how we resist it.
Thursday, June 18 at 6:00pm-7:30pm CT
Family Feud Game Night! Black Researcher Edition!
Join us for a fun, interactive game night where Black researchers, students, professionals, and community members compete in a Family Feud-style showdown inspired by our experiences, culture, and research journeys. Expect laughs, friendly competition, and a joyful way to celebrate the week together.
Friday, June 19 at 11:00am-12:00pm CT
Juneteenth Closing Celebration: The Virtual Cookout
We close National Black Researchers Week the only way we know how — together. Join us for music, joy, celebration, reflection, and community as we honor the week, celebrate Black researchers across disciplines, and officially send each other forward into what comes next. Come ready for good energy, good people, and a little Black excellence playlist therapy.
*Select sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time. Extended replay access will be available for those who purchase access to our private online community.
JUNE 15–19, 2026 · National black researchers week
Meet the speakers
We're bringing our best and brightest to celebrate with you! Engaging conversations and powerful connection!
JUNE 15–19, 2026 · national black researchers week
Thank you to our partners!
We could not have done this without our amazing partners!
Legacy partner
Our Healthy Community
Our Healthy Community (OHC) exists to build culturally appropriate spaces for community and faith-based organizations. We understand that the trust between community members of color and researchers is broken, which is why we’ve created a collaborative platform and a respectable ecosystem for these two groups to work together in an equitable way. We have created Our Healthy Community Engage (OHCE) as a digital portal for community members to engage in consistent conversations about their collective questions, needs, and capabilities, surrounding equity issues. We’ve also created Our Healthy Community Research (OHCR), a portal specifically for researchers who are interested and invested in working with underrepresented communities on research projects.
Community partner
African Immigrant Health Research Collaborative
African Immigrant Health Research Collaborative (AIHRC) is a national network dedicated to advancing the health and wellbeing of African immigrant communities through community-led research, training, and meaningful engagement. Our mission is to amplify the voices, experiences, and solutions of African immigrants by challenging structural inequities and promoting culturally grounded approaches to research and public health practice. This year, AIHRC is hosting the Africanizing the Research Paradigm Summit (ARP2026). It will be a full-day virtual convening held on November 12, 2026, bringing together community leaders, researchers, practitioners, and public sector partners for interactive dialogue and learning. The theme for ARP2026, “Naming What Guides Us,” explores a central question: What values connect African immigrant communities across cultures and histories — and what do they teach us about how research should be understood and practiced?
Community partner
TERSHA LLC
TERSHA LLC is a narrative systems strategy firm that helps organizations design, implement, and measure programs with clarity, cultural grounding, and collective care. We specialize in translating complexity into actionable insight through relational leadership, research, evaluation, and narrative‑driven learning. Our work spans education, public health, philanthropy, and workforce development, supporting teams across the U.S. and globally to build systems that honor data dignity and strengthen community impact. Through our signature Relational Leadership as Design™ framework, we help leaders cultivate shared power, sustainable practices, and data‑informed decision‑making. At TERSHA, we believe that when data meets dignity, organizations thrive and communities flourish.
Community partner
WE Public Health
WE Public Health (Women Entrepreneurs in Public Health) is a collective of consultants and entrepreneurs co-creating a more just and equitable world. We combine our diverse talents to provide capacity-building, research and evaluation, and strategy services to governmental and mission-driven organizations. If we want to make progress on the things that matter, women must have the opportunity to lead -- on their own terms and in their own voice. WE Public Health is paving the way.
The History of NBRW
National Black Researchers Week was founded by Leonore Okwara, founder of the former nonprofit, Association of Black Researchers.
Leonore's vision created a dedicated home for Black researchers to connect, grow, and be seen.
This year, we are honored to carry that vision forward in her name.
As we host this week, we want to be clear:
She planted this. We're tending it.
We are celebrating Black researchers this week. And we are celebrating the woman who built the room.
Meet Your Host
Dr. Joyee Washington is a community-engaged researcher, public health strategist, and national voice on equity-centered research and joy-centered leadership.
She has spent nearly two decades asking the questions that matter in the communities that matter most — and building infrastructure for research that is done with communities, not just about them.
She knows what it feels like to do rigorous, meaningful work inside a system that doesn't always reflect your values. And she knows what it takes to keep going — with rest, with strategy, and with community behind you.
"Research belongs to the people. If it ain't done with us and by us — it ain't for us."
National Black Researchers Week is an extension of that conviction.
FAQ
Is this really free?
Yes. Every virtual event during National Black Researchers Week is free to attend.
I'm not a Black researcher. Can I still participate?
Absolutely. This week centers and spotlights Black researchers. Everyone is welcome to attend, learn, and show up in support of that mission.
Do I have to attend every day?
No. Register once and you'll receive details for each event. Come to what you can. Everything is designed to be valuable as a standalone experience.
Will sessions be recorded?
Select sessions may be available as replays inside the Public Health Joy Membership Community. Registration gets you access to updates.
Who is National Black Researchers Week for?
Students, professionals, consultants, academics, community-based researchers, and public health leaders — at every stage, across every field.
When will event information be released?
By registering you will automatically receive all updates on events happening throughout the week directly to your inbox.
How can my organization partner with National Black Researchers Week?
Partnership opportunities are available to support amplifying your brand. Please view our partnership deck HERE and reach out to us at [email protected] if you have questions.
Reserve your free spot for National Black Researchers Week.
June 15–19, 2026
Hosted by Dr. Joyee Washington
Free to attend. Fully virtual. Centering Black researchers. Open to all.