Bayard Rustin Day 2026

Organize The Future: Rooted. Rising. Ready.

Organize The Future: Rooted. Rising. Ready., honors the life, legacy, and enduring relevance of Bayard Rustin through an evening of reflection, dialogue, and artistic expression rooted in justice and human dignity. Building on the spirit and success of our inaugural celebration, this year’s program brings together historians, advocates, and creatives whose work embodies Rustin’s vision of courageous, nonviolent leadership and community care as activism.

Special guests will include Evan Malbrough, Walter Naegle—returning from our 2024 program—and two dynamic intergenerational panel discussions. Together, we invite the community to remember Rustin not only as a historic figure, but as a living call to action—one that challenges us to lead with integrity, imagination, and love.