10th Annual Justice in Action Conference

Saturday, March 28, 2026
9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Alumni Memorial Union

Register Here

Interested in volunteering day-of? Fill out the form here.

Justice in Action

What is the Justice in Action Conference?

The Justice in Action Conference (JIA) is a one-day student-led conference to explore your role in service, community and social change. JIA is a time to develop new skills and knowledge on social justice, foster civic dialogue, and challenge perspectives on social systems. 

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2026 Justice in Action: What is Justice Without Democracy?

As we celebrate 250 years of signing the Declaration of Independence, we're asking the big question: What is justice without democracy? Join us as we dig into how justice, democracy, and faith shape one another - and how students can keep democracy alive through service, advocacy, and bold imagination.

Read more about Justice in Action 2026 on the Radio Milwaukee blog.

Keynote Speaker: Dasha Kelly

Dasha Kelly is a writer, performance artist and creative change agent. She has authored award-winning poetry, essays and fiction. She is a mainstage storyteller and host with The Moth, an alum of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, Poet Laureate Emerita for both the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin and a National Laureate Fellow with the American Academy of Poets.

In 2024, Dasha was named a Living Legacy Honoree by the licensing agency for the legendary poet Gwendolyn Brooks. A skilled engagement practitioner and instructor, Dasha has facilitated initiatives in Botswana, Mauritius and Beirut as an Arts Envoy for the U.S. Embassy. Her nationally-touring stage show, Makin’ Cake, serves audiences a unique conversation on race, class and equity. Her nonprofit literary arts organization, Still Waters Collective, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Dasha’s recent releases are a poetry anthology, A Line Meant (Jaded Ibis Press), a 10th anniversary reprint of Almost Crimson (Traitmarker Books), and a new novel, Baker’s Dozen (Jaded Ibis).  

Tentative Schedule

Time	Events
8:30 am to 9:15 am	Breakfast and Registration Second Floor Rotunda
9:15 am to 11:00am	Welcome & Keynote AMU Ballrooms
11:10 pm to 12:00 pm	Morning Breakouts- learn more here! Various Rooms Presenters: Urban League Bridge the City America's Black Holocaust Musem Voces de la Frontera League of Women's Voters
12:10 pm to 1:10 pm	Lunch Marquette Place
1:20 pm to 2:10 pm	Afternoon Breakouts- learn more here! Various Rooms Presenters: Narrative4 The Community MKE Law Student Panel ECO City of MKE
2:20 pm to 3:00 pm	Closing Reflection AMU Ballrooms

*Breakout Sessions and Action Workshops will be annouced closer to the date.

Register Here

The Justice in Action Conference is sponsored and hosted by:

The Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility, the Burke Scholarship Program, the Center for Urban Research, Teaching & Outreach, the Counseling Center, Division of Belonging and Student Affairs, MUSG, the Office of Inclusion and Engagement,  the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Service Learning Program, Sodexo, Trinity Fellows Program, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

Planning Teams

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