Reframing Purpose, Possibility, and Partnerships
A One-Day Conference Presented by Public Narrative
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | David Rubenstein Forum, Chicago
On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, journalists and community-based organizations will come together for a vital and powerful day of learning, connection, and collaboration at the Public Narrative Conference.
We are thrilled to announce our featured speaker is Trymaine Lee.
Trymaine Lee is a Pulitzer Prize– and Emmy Award–winning journalist, MSNBC contributor, and newly published author of his first book: A Thousands Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America. A pivotal voice for a pivotal moment. Trymaine is among a distinguished class of leaders guiding the conversation and connection among media, nonprofits, and civic institutions.
About the book:
For more than two decades, Lee has reported from the frontlines of this nation’s defining stories. A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked him why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him--the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, racism, and gun violence. Nola’s question shifted his voice, his perspective and opened him up, stylistically and emotionally
For more than two decades, Lee has reported from the frontlines of this nation’s defining stories. A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked him why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him--the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, racism, and gun violence. Nola’s question shifted his voice, his perspective and opened him up, stylistically and emotionally.
Trymaine’s voice at our gathering will inform and shift our collective visioning and action.
Why attend?
This conference is your opportunity to:
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Connect with journalists, storytellers, and community leaders from across the region.
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Learn strategies to tell stories that matter and create impact.
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Collaborate to strengthen relationships between media and the communities they serve.
Be inspired by our great lineup and stay tuned for more.
Join us for a day of conversation and connection designed to reimagine what’s possible when media and communities work together.
📍 David Rubenstein Forum, at the University of Chicago, 1201 E 60th St, Chicago
🗓 Wednesday, December 3, 2025 * 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
🎟 Register now: https://www.publicnarrative.org/conference-2025
Let’s connect and reframe our purpose! Secure your spot TODAY.
Registration are limited.
Questions? Email chris@hooplagroupla.com.