It’s Time to Co-Create How We Co-Exist

An Immersive Experience at the
Intersection of Art, Culture & Business

WHEN
Oct. 23, 2025

WHERE
.ZACH Theatre in St. Louis

CAPACITY
100 Humans

The Belonging Conference

The 2025 Belonging Conference isn't your typical corporate event. Through structured storytelling, live performances, and dialogue circles, you'll explore what it truly means to belong, not just at work, but as a human being in community with others. We are curating a group that includes

Culture shapers, experience architects, and emerging voices

C-suite executives and people leaders

Creatives, operators, caregivers, and community builders

And people whose perspectives are often missing from industry dialogues

So, what happens when 100 humans from completely different walks of life come together in one room?
Join us and find out.

You’ll
Experience

  • Cross-domain dialogue circles across industries and life experiences

  • AI-integrated content that explores coexistence, not replacement

  • Community coalition building for real St. Louis impact

  • Live spoken word and vocal performances that bring the room together

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SPEAKERS

Meet the diverse speakers and participants creating dialogue across industries and life experiences. From corporate leaders to community advocates, every voice contributes to belonging.

  • Andraéa LaVant

    As a fierce disability justice leader and storyteller, Andraéa infuses her work with cultural insight, media savvy, and a commitment to intersectional inclusion.

  • Erica Bolden

    Head of DEI at Mercedes-Benz USA, Erica brings deep expertise in culture, leadership, and the systems that drive or derail inclusive growth.

  • Jason Rosario

    A visionary leader and connector, Jason brings an authenticity-first approach to business transformation, blending creativity, commerce, and culture.

LEARN MORE

3 Transformative Movements

  • Connections

    Exploring Our Common Humanity

    Discover the structured history of human division, then practice collecting human stories of inspiration through dialogue circles with people you'd never normally meet. Together we’ll explore our shared humanity.

  • Culture

    Exploring Our Habits, Traditions & Learned Behaviors

    Cross-domain conversations between humans across roles, industries, and lived experiences. Real talk about othering, surviving, and learning to belong.

  • Community

    Business & Collective Applications for Progress

    Move beyond inspiration to action. Work together to create real solutions for the St. Louis community while building lasting networks for change.

What Makes this Different?

This Isn't Another Conference. It's a Social Experiment.

  • Curated Human Diversity: Individual contributors, managers, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ community members, therapists, formerly incarcerated individuals, city leaders, nonprofit workers, accessibility advocates

  • Live Integrated Performances: Spoken word, vocal performances, and sign language artistry woven throughout the experience

  • Dialogue Circles: Structured conversations designed to build genuine connections across differences

  • AI & Humanity Exploration: Content that explores coexistence, not replacement

  • Community Coalition Building: Leave with real commitments to collective action

FAQs

  • Expect to be moved, challenged, and connected. This isn't a sit-and-listen conference. You'll participate in dialogue circles, experience live performances, and work collaboratively on real community solutions. Come ready to engage authentically.

  • Attendees are drawn from a wide variety of sectors and disciplines, including diversity practitioners, academics, educators, policymakers, community activists, and business and community leaders, interested in exploring belonging.

  • We're intentionally curating a group that represents different industries, life experiences, and perspectives. The goal is to bring together people who wouldn't normally be in the same room but who all have something valuable to contribute to conversations about belonging.

  • Expect to be moved, challenged, and connected. This isn't a sit-and-listen conference. You'll participate in dialogue circles, experience live performances, and work collaboratively on real community solutions. Come ready to engage authentically.