The 2024 Practical Activism Conference

Our 21st annual conference will be Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 from 10am-5pm at the College Nine and John R. Lewis College Multipurpose Room. More information about this year's speakers and workshop topics will be coming soon.

Featured Speaker

PAC '24 Keynote & Closing Speaker: MARIAH PARKER

Mariah Parker, PhD, is a linguistics scholar, a former Georgia County Commissioner, a rapper (under the stage name Linqua Franqa), and organizer with Raise Up the South, the Southern arm of the Fight for $15 and a Union workers movement.

Mariah first made headlines after being sworn in as an Athens-Clarke County Commissioner, at age 26, with their hand on a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X held by their mother. Photos of Mariah taking the oath went viral, highlighting the growing numbers of millennial Black people making their voices heard in local politics nationwide. As County Commissioner, Mariah focused on creating economic stability and racial justice as well as criminal justice reform and raising the minimum wage.

They recently resigned from that position to work as a labor organizer with Raise Up the South, a pivot that gives Mariah the opportunity to fight for social justice outside the constraints of political office. The move also coincided with the release of the music video for their single, “Wurk,” a powerful pro-worker, pro-union piece that once again thrust Mariah into the headlines when the song went viral.

They have performed the hit at union conventions and rallies as well as New York’s Lincoln Center, a performance RollingStone magazine called "explosive" and pointed to how the "queer, Black, nonbinary Southerner...dominated the stage, all sinewy limbs and kinetic energy and rapid-fire couplets. Those same tongue-twisting revolutionary rhymes and hyperliterate lyricism shine on their new album, "Bellringer," with lyrics on capitalism, police brutality, mental health, emotional turmoil, and workers’ rights smoothly cutting through the alternating slices of Southern hip-hop, neo-soul, indie-pop, and avant-garde electronic vibes that populate Parker’s extended musical universe."

Mariah's outspoken commitment to racial and economic justice has garnered the attention of other media as well including CNN, The New York Times, Teen Vogue, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, The Nation, Afropunk, The Root, and The Bitter Southerner, among others.

They are a popular speaker on campuses nationwide. Audiences describe Mariah as "charismatic,” “engaging,” “authentic,” and “inspiring.” Their electrifying live and virtual presentations call audiences to self-reflection and action in their lives and in their communities.

Workshop Schedule

Introducing Our New Conference Schedule!

This year, we're excited to introduce a redesigned conference schedule that allows for longer workshops and the ability to immediately dig deeper into conference topics after our workshops to explore tabling orgs and participate in activist activities!

Join the PAC Planning Team!

The Practical Activism Conference Planning Team is composed of students affiliated with the University of California, Santa Cruz. Being a part of the Practical Activism Planning Team is a uniquely rewarding experience where participants have the opportunity to learn organizing activism skills, learn and build upon their professional development skills, and be a part of creative team-building while making friends and lasting memories along the way. 

Student planners enroll in a 2-unit class in Fall & Winter quarters to receive a total of 4 units that fulfill the PR General Education requirement. Those interested in joining the planning team for the 2024 Practical Activism Conference can complete this application before 10/20/23 to get involved!

For questions or more information, please email coco@ucsc.edu.