Activist and Author Loretta J. Ross Announced for IFC 2025

Loretta J. Ross, an award-winning author and academic whose decades of work have shaped the direction of activism for reproductive justice and racial equity in the USA will give the opening plenary at IFC 2025.

Commenting on the opening keynote, Ruby Chadwick, Director of Programmes at the Resource Alliance, said, “Across the world, life-saving programmes are being stripped of funding and hard-won gains in diversity, equity, inclusion, and access are under attack. Our theme for IFC 2025 is Break Through and we need voices like Loretta’s, which echo through history more loudly than those who call for division and hate, to do just that: break through the noise and remind us what’s at stake—and what we must continue to fight for.”

The keynote will provide insight into Loretta’s compelling ‘calling in’ framework, which has roots in her early work assisting in the deprogramming of people who had left hate groups and in her anti-racism work with the wives and mothers of KKK members. The approach reframes cancel culture through a lens of respect and radical empathy, leading to better outcomes for our communities and our causes.

The opening keynote at IFC sets the stage for the event, inspiring delegates and getting them into the right frame of mind for the days to come. “Loretta’s approach offers a path forward that is grounded in connection, accountability, and hope over cancellation, shame, and despair,” Chadwick continued, “Together, we will explore how we can move from fragmentation to solidarity and from fear to action.”

In a first for the event, a follow-up session will be held directly after the keynote, giving delegates the opportunity to ask questions and explore Loretta’s approach more tangibly, while discovering practical tools for navigating conflict and applying the calling-in mindset to leadership, fundraising, and movement-building.

The International Fundraising Congress returns to Noordwijkerhout in the Netherlands this 14-17 October, welcoming an expected 800 delegates from over 70 countries to the in-person event. Selected sessions will also be presented in a hybrid format, accessible online from anywhere in the world. Early bird pricing ends next week! To take advantage of the early bird rate, delegates should register for the event by 08 September at bit.ly/IFC2025reg.