February 6, 2025 CFWM News, Press Releases

Equity in the 413 Summit Returns

New Venue, New Partnership, and Renewed Purpose

Equity in the 413: Western Massachusetts Racial Equity Summit is back for 2025 and in more prominent and impactful ways. Scheduled to occur Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 8 AM to 5 PM at Westfield State University (WSU), the Summit is expected to embrace growth, collaboration, and action. Its move to WSU reflects growing interest and commitment from businesses, organizations, and institutions across all sectors to bring even more people into vital conversations about racial equity in western Massachusetts.  

In 2023, Equity in the 413 convened more than 350 professionals from the region, all of which were invited to take actionable steps toward fostering racial equity in their workplaces and communities. This year, the Summit is building on its past success with new opportunities for engagement and a talented keynote that will inspire attendees to think bigger and act boldly.  

Meet the Keynote Speaker 

Taking the stage as keynote speaker is Serilda Summers-McGee, founder and CEO of Workplace Change, a people and culture firm created to guide, advise, and encourage the business world through internal and external growth and transition while incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into human resources (HR) systems. Summers-McGee has been an HR and DEI innovator for over 17 years, honing her ability to identify challenges and opportunities while teaching the masses how to be better leaders. She has inspired thousands to create, embrace, and mobilize lasting organizational change. Summers-McGee expects to challenge attendees to rethink what’s possible and offer strategies for building more equitable organizations.  

 
New Partnerships and a Shared Mission 

Equity in the 413 is thrilled to welcome Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Faith Based Health Alliance, and Westfield State University as new organizing partners this year. These valuable add-ons to an already remarkable organizing group promise to bring new perspectives and energy to the planning of the event. Together, the organizing partners aim to create an experience where, as often seen on campuses, ideas can flourish and meaningful change can begin. The other organizing partners are: 

Behavioral Health Network 
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts 
Hilltown Community Health Center 
Health New England 
Human Service Forum 
Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts 
City of Springfield DHHS 
Western Mass EDC 
Women of Color Health Equity Collective 

In today’s world, conversations about equity are incredibly necessary. Equity in the 413 is meeting the urgency required to address social and professional challenges with actional insights from community professionals ready to make a difference in our region as facilitators of workshop sessions and presentations. The Summit is a unique opportunity to step away from the noise and focus on the work that truly matters—creating a fairer and more inclusive western Massachusetts.  

To register for your spot or to become a community partner as a sponsor of the event, visit communityfoundation.org/E413.