Better Together

Courage for Democracy, Courage for Racial Justice

April 19, 2026 | NMC Milliken Auditorium, 1410 College Dr, Traverse City, MI 49686, USA

E3 is excited to offer time with two powerful leaders as we come together to explore how we can take meaningful action for democracy and racial justice.  E3, formerly Northern MI’s Anti-racism task force, emerged in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The Better Together Series launched in 2025 when, in partnership with NMC, we came together to view and discuss the movie Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America. We began the series because we believe the pathway to end racism and work for justice is by coming together!  We experienced it: in the protest that birthed E3; through community building around elections; calling for accountability in our schools and law enforcement; and, most recently, the largest gathering Traverse City has seen – the No Kings Rally!  Now, we're inviting you to join the E3 Council as we learn from two longtime social justice leaders - Deena Hayes-Green and Chris Crass. Come listen as they share their own stories about working against racism and being part of justice movements. 

Deena Hayes-Greene is a committed community organizer focused on building collective power and promoting racial equity. She is the co-founder and Managing Director of the Racial Equity Institute (REI) and a Partner at The Groundwater Institute, where she helps lead systems-level change efforts nationwide. In Greensboro, she serves as Chair of the Guilford County School Board, bringing over twenty years of leadership in education equity.  Her work centers on mobilizing communities, strengthening grassroots leadership, and holding institutions accountable to equity and justice for all. 

Chris Crass is one of the leading voices in the country calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice and men to work for feminism.  He’s a social justice educator who leads political education courses and workshops on courage for racial justice, feminism for men, class analysis, lessons from past movements, and creating healthy culture and leadership for progressive activism.  He was a founder of the anti-racist movement building center, the Catalyst Project, and helped launch the national white anti-racist network, SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice).  He works with community groups, schools and religious/spiritual communities to develop leadership and momentum for social justice action.   He is a leader in the growing national network of efforts to organize and support white men working for racial, gender and economic justice.   

Summer 2025 Book Club

3 members of E3 are leading a book club following the book:

Waking Up White By Debby Irvin.

To join our book club: Please email us at:  admin@northernmichigane3.com