My head is still spinning from SHIFT 2024. I still can’t get over how awesome it was! I’ve heard from so many of our attendees and it feels like the overwhelming sentiment was that this was the National Fund’s best convening yet. I couldn’t agree more. Not simply because our staff curated an entertaining and insightful experience (they did!), but because the energy from everyone in the room felt transformative.

As a leader in our field, I attend A LOT of conferences. This year’s SHIFT certainly didn’t feel like a typical workforce development conference. It was more like a reunion of people rekindling authentic connections, while welcoming fresh faces into the fold. People were eager to see each other, ready to learn and exchange ideas. More than one person told me, “I found my people!”

If I could sum up the atmosphere in one word, I’d say it was “optimistic.” These days many of us are experiencing some level of anxiety. This is especially true for all of us whose work focuses on fostering racial equity in the systems that touch people’s lives the most. It’s hard to push forward when the headwinds we face are real and ever present. That’s why the buzz radiating from our attendees was so encouraging. It truly felt like were working together to SHIFT workforce development toward a more equitable future.

Sometimes when you are hosting a conference, it can go by in a blur and you miss out on experiencing it along with everyone else in the room. It didn’t feel that way this time around for me. Over the course of those three days, we were all, at times, learners and teachers crowdsourcing solutions to some of the most intractable problems we’re all facing. I hope everyone left with ideas and practical tools that will help them think differently and move more intentionally as they navigate their space in the field.

There are so many favorite moments I could name. From my opening plenary conversation with Robert Espinoza, Anne Price, and Todd Greene, to our live State of Our Workforce podcast where we met workers and mentors that took us deeper into career navigation — each moment gave me something new to take back with me.

I have deep appreciation for the city of Memphis. It provided the perfect setting for the moment. The National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and the Peabody Hotel were wonderful. And we can’t forget all the local performers that beautifully showcased the unique culture of their city.

I want to send a shoutout to our sponsors who helped to make SHIFT 2024 happen. So many of you not only provided resources, but you joined us at the event as well. That support speaks volumes, and we are continually grateful to partner with you.

Lastly, I want to say how proud I was of our National Fund staff. We have some brilliant people who were working both behind the scenes and on the stage to make it all come to life.

While our next SHIFT isn’t until 2026, the momentum doesn’t stop here. If you’re not already on the list, be sure to sign up for our newsletter and connect with the National Fund on LinkedIn, Threads, and Instagram for all the latest happenings.

Can’t wait to see you September 22-24, 2026, in Albuquerque!