Social Change and Policy Conference

Social Change & Policy Conference

Environmental Justice

Friday, October 30, 2026 | 9:00AM – 3:30PM (MST)
Hybrid: Zoom & Tivoli Turnhalle

The Social Change & Policy Conference (SC&PC) is a hybrid gathering for students, practitioners, organizers, and community partners committed to creating meaningful change across systems, communities, and movements. This year’s conference centers Environmental Justice, exploring the frontline issues that disproportionately affect BIPOC communities, from AI data centers and ICE detention to clean air, water sovereignty and land back, and honoring the full ecosystem of strategies that drive change: policy and legislation, direct action, healing justice, storytelling, climate migration practice, and cross-movement coalition building.

Our keynote speaker this year is Beatriz Soto, Senior Director of Community Engagement at Conservation Colorado, whose work elevating Latino-led solutions to protect Colorado’s land, water, and air embodies the spirit of this year’s conference.

We are also honored to have Harmony Cummings, Executive Director of The Green House Connection Center, lead our closing session. Rooted in Denver’s Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea (GES) neighborhood, Harmony is one of Colorado’s most visible environmental justice organizers — known this summer for leading the fight against AI data center expansion alongside Jane Fonda. She will close our day with a call to action grounded in our own community and somatic exercises.

Early Bird Registration Pricing (ends October 1st at 11:59PM MST, 2026):

• $25 – Students
• $75 – MSU Denver faculty & staff
• $100 – Community partners; faculty & staff of other institutions

Regular Registration Pricing:

• $25 – Students
  • Want to attend but can’t afford it? If you’re an MSU Denver student, please apply to the C2Hub Student Travel and Professional Development Funding here. If you are not an MSU Denver student and/or you’re unable to get funding through C2Hub, please fill out this SC&PC student scholarship form!
• $85 – MSU Denver faculty & staff
• $120 – Community partners; faculty & staff of other institutions

Your sponsorship helps make high-quality professional development in social change, policy, and environmental justice accessible to social workers, students, and community leaders. Together, we can strengthen the tools, connections, and collective action needed to advance equity, influence policy, and learn how to create meaningful systemic change.

Sponsorship Levels

Community Ally Sponsor — $250 

• Recognition as a Community Ally Sponsor in the printed conference program
• Certificate of sponsorship from MSU Denver Department of Social Work

Water Defender Sponsor — $500

• Recognition as a Water Defender Sponsor in the
  printed conference program and digital program
• Certificate of sponsorship from MSU Denver
  Department of Social Work
• Exclusive conference Colorado perennial seeds packet for up to 5 staff members

Land Steward Sponsor — $1000

• Recognition as a Land Steward Sponsor in the conference program, digital program, and conference website
• Exclusive Department of Social Work conference t-shirt and Yeti mug OR Owala water bottle for up to 3 staff members
• Exclusive conference Colorado perennial seeds packet for up to 5 staff members
• 2 complimentary conference registrations
• Sponsorship table in the Turnhalle for the full day (6-foot table with signage)
• Verbal acknowledgment during opening remarks

Justice Champion Sponsor — $2,500  

• Recognition as a Justice Champion Sponsor in the conference program, digital program, and conference website
• Exclusive Department of Social Work conference t-shirt and Yeti mug OR Owala water bottle for up to 3 staff members
• Exclusive conference Colorado perennial seeds packet for up to 5 staff members
• 4 complimentary conference registrations
• Sponsorship table in the Turnhalle for the full day (6-foot table with signage)
• Verbal acknowledgment during opening and closing remarks
• Option to include one piece of organizational literature in the conference registration packet

Click here to download the Sponsorship Opportunities PDF