2027 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

THE 2027 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS IS NOW OPEN.

Presenting at the 4TH Annual National Black Literacy Matters Conference offers a unique opportunity to expand your literacy network and engage in a lifelong learning experience surrounded by like-minded advocates. Whether presenting individually or as part of a group, sharing a content-rich session is a powerful way to exchange knowledge, research, and evidence-based instructional practices. The conference’s community-driven program aims to spotlight best practices, effective collaborations, valuable lessons, and community-wide solutions to issues facing our Black children and youth.

This year’s conference theme is THE BLUEPRINT: THIS IS THE WAY Reclaiming the Methods That Built Black Literacy—And Rebuilding Them Again

Whether you’re a first-time contributor or a seasoned presenter, we eagerly invite your submission! Please carefully review the information on this page before crafting your proposal, ensuring submission by the deadline: Sunday, August 31st, 2026; 5pm CST.

The 2027 conference will be held at The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), Omaha, Nebraska. March 17th-20th.

Ready to embark on this journey? Explore the steps and submission guidelines outlined below:

Steps to Submit a Presentation

  1. Develop your presentation.

     

  2. Submit your presentation using the online submission form by Sunday, August 31st, 2026 at 5pm CST. Submitters will be notified about decisions in mid October 2026.

  3. If your proposal is accepted, attend and present at the National Black Literacy Matters Conference in Omaha, Nebraska from Wednesday, March 17th through Saturday, March 20th, 2027.

Proposal Submission

Within the Black Literacy Matters Conference submission site, you will be asked the following information:

  • Presentation Title: This is a short title of 15 words or less that is creative, yet descriptive. We ask that you do not use institution, company, or product names anywhere in the title.
  • Brief Presentation Description: This is a short description of 250 words or less that describes what your presentation is about. If your proposal is accepted, this brief description is what most attendees will use to make decisions about which sessions to attend. What can you say that will encourage individuals to attend your session?
  • Name & Biography of Primary Presenter & Co-Presenters
  • Type of Presentation & Topic Track
  • Contact Email & Phone Number for Primary Presenter
  • Full Presentation Proposal: This is where you get to more fully describe the plan for your session and the importance, relevance, value, uniqueness and/or interest to our conference attendees. You’ll describe how the session will unfold (timetable), the key findings or points you will present, supporting evidence, and so forth.
OPEN

Submission are now OPEN.

What are the Topic Tracks?

The 4TH Annual National Black Literacy Matters Conference will feature a diverse range of topics that align with the mission of empowering Black children through structured literacy programs and contributing to societal elevation. Presentation topics should address one of the following themes:

    Conference Tracks
    📚 Language, Literacy & Identity
    🔤 The Code of Reading
    🧩 Dyslexia, Learning Differences & Access
    🏡 Family, Community & Faith
    🌍 Literacy Across Cultures & Languages
    🎓 Educational Freedom, Preparedness & Innovation
    ⚖️ Literacy, Justice, Health & Human Flourishing
    🎬 Policy, Advocacy & The Power of Story

    These tracks cover a broad range of topics relevant to the theme, providing a comprehensive platform for presenters to contribute to the conversation on Black literacy.

    Selection Process

    Proposals are selected to ensure the conference offers a comprehensive program rooted in evidence-based practices, ensuring a liberatory lens for the exploration of literacy issues within Black communities. Proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Program Committee and peer reviewers using the following selection criteria:

    Relevance of Topic: Is the topic of relevance, importance, value, and/or interest to educators and families of Black children?

    Session Outcomes Achievability: Is there alignment between the stated session outcomes and the proposal description?

    Quality of Submission: Does the proposal demonstrate quality, as measured by accuracy, clarity, comprehensiveness, and depth of demonstrated understanding of the topic?

    Engagement/Knowledge Transfer: Does the proposal provoke discussion, audience engagement, and/or facilitate knowledge transfer and development of new competency?

    Submission Guidelines

    Presenter Discount: All accepted speakers will receive a special promo code for discounted registration. We ask that individuals submitting proposals not register for the conference until they receive notification of acceptance.

    Presenter Registration: Presenters are responsible for registering in advance for the conference, paying the discounted registration fee, and securing and paying for travel and lodging. Black Literacy Matters will not cover any additional costs such as per diem expenses or fees for online tools or preparation of presentation materials.

    Presenter Commitment: Acceptance notifications will be sent mid November 2025. All selected presenters must agree to and complete speaker agreement forms in order to be confirmed for a session. Do not list presenters without their commitment that they will participate and that they agree to the terms and conditions for participation.

    Session Titles/Descriptions: The Conference Program Committee reserves the right to edit presentation titles and/or edit the session abstract for program publications. Proposal titles and abstracts cannot be changed after the review and selection process.

    Session Resources: Presenters will be required to upload their presentations and/or supporting materials and resources prior to the conference. These valuable resources will then be posted for attendees to access beyond the session. If your proposal is selected, you will be provided with further instructions on uploading your presentation materials.

    Code of Conduct for Presenters: This Code of Conduct outlines the standards expected from all speakers and participants in Black Literacy Matters programs, gatherings, and public forums.