Tracee Ellis Ross
ON IDENTITY, IMPACT, & JOY
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Tracee Ellis Ross ON IDENTITY, IMPACT,
& JOY
MARCH 21, 2026
OPENING MUSIC
OPENING REMARKS
Jonathan Paige Brown Jr.
Heather Mullins Crislip
Executive Director
The Richmond Forum
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
CONVERSATION & AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
Andrea Lynn White Genworth — CareScout Vice Chair
The Richmond Forum Board of Directors
Tracee Ellis Ross with Daphne Maxwell Reid
There will be no intermission during this program.
Please submit audience questions via Slido before the program begins or discreetly during the program as your questions arise. Please be courteous to your neighbors.
The Richmond Forum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Tonight’s presentation may not be recorded or photographed by attendees by any means for any purpose.
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
TONIGHT’S SPEAKER
THE THING I’M MOST PROUD OF IS THE LIFE THAT I’VE BUILT. AND I DON’T MEAN THE THINGS THAT I HAVE. I MEAN THAT I AM LIVING A LIFE THAT IS A REFLECTION OF MY INSIDES, THAT WHEN MY HEAD HITS THE PILLOW AT NIGHT, I’M LIKE, ‘I LIKE THIS.’
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS IS AN AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS, producer, founder, and CEO. Ross is a leader whose cultural fluency and skilled storytelling allow her to forge meaningful connections with audiences and customers alike.
For eight seasons, Ross starred in ABC’s critically acclaimed comedy series “Black-ish,” earning a Golden Globe Award, five NAACP Image Awards, and nominations for Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Critics Choice Awards for her portrayal as Dr. Rainbow Johnson. Ross also starred in the series “Girlfriends” for eight seasons, earning four NAACP Image Awards and a BET Comedy Award for her portrayal of Joan Clayton.
Ross is the owner, founder, and co-CEO of PATTERN Beauty, the global multimillion-dollar hair and body care brand she created for the curly, coily, and tighttextured community and every body. With PATTERN, Ross is changing the paradigm of how the textured hair community is marketed to and supported. The company’s content and messaging are a celebration of Black beauty and joy, and that commitment extends beyond product, with PATTERN supporting organizations and programs that empower women and people of color.
Ross is currently in production for Season 2 of the Roku original series “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross,” which follows her on transformative solo adventures where she explores the beauty, fashion, design, food, and culture of each destination. She also recently announced a multiyear first-look deal with Fox Entertainment Studios via her production company, Joy Mill Entertainment, which is dedicated to creating entertaining, culture-bending stories centered around identity and joy.
She is a powerful voice for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity, and has been recognized with multiple prestigious honors throughout her career, including honorary Doctorate degrees from both Spelman College and her alma mater, Brown University.
DAPHNE MAXWELL REID
TONIGHT’S MODERATOR
DAPHNE MAXWELL REID IS AN ACTRESS AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR, best known for her role as Vivian Banks (“Aunt Viv”) on the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” from 1993 to 1996. Her acting career spans four decades, with recent roles in “Bel-Air,” “Harriet,” “Fantasy Island,” and “The Business of Christmas.”
In 1997, she co-founded New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, which became the only Black-owned full-service film studio in the U.S. at the time. A lifelong photographer inspired by her father’s work in the 1940s and ‘50s, she has published four books capturing doors from around the world. Her business ventures include a line of wearable art called Daphne Style, home goods, and a cookbook that blends recipes with personal stories.
A trailblazer from the start, Reid was the first Black homecoming queen at Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in interior design and architecture. She also dedicates time to her community, serving on the boards of Richmond Ballet, ChildFund International, and The Richmond Forum.
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JONATHAN PAIGE BROWN JR.
TONIGHT’S MUSICIAN
JONATHAN PAIGE BROWN JR. IS A SINGER-SONGWRITER based in Virginia. His foundation in the performing arts began with theater in middle school, followed by extensive ballet training throughout high school and college. He trained at the Richmond Ballet, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, and the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. During these years of formal dance training, he also taught himself to play guitar and sing.
Jonathan began performing music full-time at 19, with his first gig quickly evolving into a residency. He started writing original material at 26. At 28, he released his first single, “Divine,” followed by his second single, “Gesture,” which featured a music video showcasing his first dance project.
His songwriting is rooted in deep self-reflection. Jonathan describes his creative process as stemming from “a point at which my awareness truly stretches over new ground. I feel out the unknown with sound.”
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THE JOY OF STORYTELLING
ROSS ON TWO NOTABLE ROLES & HER LESSONS LEARNED
Girlfriends (2000-2008)
ROLE: Joan Clayton
AWARDS: Nominated for eight NAACP Image Awards (Won twice)
“I felt like I entered that show as a decently talented person who thought she was silly and cute and I became a seasoned, vetted comedic actress after we did 170-some-odd episodes.”
“It’s really important to me that it’s recognized mostly because it was a great show. It was so representative of who we are as Black women. The fashion was great; the storylines were ahead of the time. People always say, ‘Oh, Black-ish deals with such heavy issues.’ I’m like, so did ‘Girlfriends’...and we were four Black women leading a show.”
“I became a woman during those years, but I didn’t get a chance to embody that womanhood until I left the show.”
Black-ish (2014-2022)
ROLE: Dr. Rainbow Johnson
AWARDS: Won a Golden Globe, nominated for five Emmy Awards, nominated for nine NAACP Image Awards (won six years in a row)
“I don’t act by channeling. I open up the part of me known as that character, and I respond honestly to things. For Rainbow, it was the part of me that is a mother and that does mother.”
“It was a really interesting time to shift from being a person discovering who I am to just being the matriarch in my work environment.”
[Accepting her Golden Globe Award] “This is for all of the women, women of color, and colorful people whose stories, ideas, or thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important. I want you to know that I see you. We see you. It is an honor to be on this show, ‘Black-ish,’ to continue expanding the way we are seen and known, and to show the magic and the beauty and the sameness of a story and stories that are outside of where the industry usually looks.
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THE JOY OF FASHION
ROSS ON THE POWER OF CLOTHING TO EXPRESS IDENTITY
FOR TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, fashion has never been about trends. Instead, it has served as a language that communicates her personality, mood, and identity. Known for wearing vivid colors, sculptural silhouettes, and playful tailoring, Ross has become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable style figures.
“I think clothing is how we wear our insides on the outside, so it’s a form of creative expression,” Ross said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “It started as armor for me, and now it’s just a form of creative expression.”
Her love of fashion developed early. As the daughter of legendary performer Diana Ross, she grew up surrounded by glamorous costumes and couture. Before she walked a red carpet, she was already walking in her mother’s heels, and occasionally intercepting pieces from Diana’s legendary wardrobe before they were given away.
Ross’s fashion education began in earnest as a teenager, when she made her runway debut in Thierry Mugler’s legendary 1991–92 Butterfly show. On that same trip to Paris, she spent a night at the atelier of Azzedine Alaïa, who invited the young Ross to sift through racks of his work. She left with several pieces she still keeps today: high-waisted biker shorts in
green, gray, and chocolate brown, paired with a long-sleeve bodysuit. The clothes no longer fit—“I cannot get them over my knees,” she joked—but she keeps them as relics of a self she never lost.
Her relationship with fashion deepened in the years that followed. Ross worked as a model and later as a contributing fashion editor at Mirabella and New York Magazine, experiences that sharpened her understanding of clothing as both craft and culture.
Ross’s influence in fashion has earned industry recognition. She received the Fashion Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards in 2020, and the “Hollywood Trailblazer” honor at the WWD Style Awards in 2025.
The recognition reflects how Ross has built a fashion identity rooted in both aesthetics and authenticity. Style, she has suggested, should be guided by personal joy rather than strict rules or fleeting trends.
To Ross, the point of fashion is ultimately selfexpression: a way to show the world who you are and how you wish to be seen.
Here, at the age of 19 in 1995, Ross sports sneakers with a white maxi dress. Sneakers remain a staple to her wardrobe.
WWD/Penske Media/ Getty Images
Ross at the Source Hip Hop Awards in 2000. Getty Images
Ross was impossible to miss at the 70 th annual Emmy Awards in 2018, due to her Barbie pink ball gown from Valentino Haute Couture.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Entertainment
Tracee’s Style Tips
Let clothing help reflect or enhance your confidence. Choose clothes that support the mood or energy you want to bring into the day.
Style is about how you wear things, not how much they cost. Focus on creativity and personal expression rather than labels. “Style is the how, not the what.”
Build outfits around reliable wardrobe staples. A small set of versatile essentials can anchor a wide range of looks.
Comfort matters as much as style. If something is uncomfortable, you likely won’t feel confident wearing it.
Proving a pantsuit can be just as striking as a gown, Ross made a grand entrance at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images Entertainment
After a 30-plusyear hiatus from the catwalk, Ross walked the Marni fall 2025 show at Milan Fashion Week.
Courtesy of MARNI
Experiment with color and silhouette. Try shapes, textures, or shades outside of your usual comfort zone to discover what feels authentic and true to you.
Let style evolve with your identity. As you learn more about yourself over time, allow your preferences to change and grow.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
In what ways does fashion shape our perception of public figures?
What story does the outfit you are wearing tonight tell about you?
Ross grew up surrounded by fashion through her mother, Diana Ross. How did your family, culture, or early experiences shape your personal sense of style?
Let’s talk
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THE JOY OF SOLO TRAVEL
ROSS’S TIPS FOR BEING YOURSELF OUT IN THE WORLD
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS has long been an advocate for traveling the world with only your own company. She took her first solo vacation in 1997, when she was in her mid-20s and had just earned her first TV paycheck for “The Dish” on Lifetime.
That trip to the Bahamas defined for her how solo travel can allow you to just be. “My career is very much do, do, do, and when I'm on vacation by myself, I get to sit and be,” Ross says. “That trip taught me to enjoy the quietness of my own company.”
Emily Varagones/Variety
In 2025, Ross started to share her love of solo travel through her Roku Channel originial show “Solo Taveling with Tracee Ellis Ross,” where she “follows her heart, goes to beautiful places, wears pretty clothes, and enjoys her own company.”
Solo travel is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of tourism. In 2024, about 43% of travelers reported taking a solo trip, while 50% of Americans said they planned to travel alone at least once. Women dominate the trend—around 84% of solo travelers are female. Younger generations are also driving growth: 76% of Millennials and Gen Z say they plan solo trips. The global solo travel market was valued at about $482 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $1.5 trillion by 2033. The top benefit solo travelers have cited is the freedom and spontaneity that can come from only having to consider your own needs and preferences.
If you’d like to take a trip on your own, here are some of Ross’s top tips.
Step 1. Plan Your Trip
Choosing your destination is an exciting, but often daunting, part of solo travel. Ross says it is important to understand your purpose before you pick a place to go. She recommends deciding whether your trip is for rest, adventure, or connection so you can plan accordingly.
If this is your first leisure trip by yourself, safety and comfort should also factor into your decision. That is particularly considered by women, who make up roughly 80–85% of solo travelers globally. Ross often prefers resorts when traveling solo and returning to favorite destinations repeatedly to deepen her experience rather than chasing novelty alone.
If solo travel feels intimidating, she recommends easing into it gradually by starting small with a daytrip or eating alone at a restaurant to acclimate yourself to the experience.
Lastly, Ross says to research everything in advance, from airport procedures to local customs, to reduce stress. Planning ahead matters: more than 60% of solo travelers say careful research helps them feel safer and more confident when traveling alone.
Step 2. Pack Your Bags
“I spend a lot of time planning for my packing,” Ross says. “I’m anxious when I travel on my own; I’m anxious when I do anything that is unknown. What I pack is one of the ways I create an illusion of control.”
Preparation is a common instinct among solo travelers. Surveys show about 70% of solo travelers prefer traveling with only a carry-on or minimal luggage, prioritizing mobility and self-reliance since they have no companion to help manage bags.
However, Ross preferes to “bring it all” to be prepared for any situation: “A shift in weather, an unexpected run-in with a sexy man, the Moroccan desert… Even when you have enough, you still keep going,” she says.
She encourages being mindful and thoughtful about your own needs and comforts. While this is important on any trip, it can be what makes or breaks your solo experience. In fact, nearly twothirds of solo travelers say packing favorite clothing or comfort items helps reduce stress while traveling alone. Ross says to bring items that help recreate a sense of home and personal ritual.
Ross also sees travel as an opportunity to be bold and feel confident in your skin. She packs her most beautiful clothing because “vacation is an opportunity to wear pieces [she] loves.”
Step 3. Enjoy Your Own Company
When she arrives at her hotel, Ross unpacks right away to settle in and takes a bath or shower before heading out to explore. Creating small rituals can help solo travelers feel grounded in a new place.
Dining alone is also part of the experience. “I generally prefer a table in the corner when I’m by myself.” While it can feel intimidating at first, many solo travelers has discovered it becomes one of the most peaceful parts of the day.
Ross encourages treating solo travel as an act of self-care and empowerment. One of its greatest luxuries is the ability to change plans without negotiation. “Luxury,” Ross says, “is really the ability to follow my heart around—like, ‘Today, I want to sleep in,’ or ‘You know what, I’m going to take a nap!’ Or ‘I’m going to go night swimming.’”
This flexibility allows travelers to fully absorb their surroundings, linger in a museum, wander unfamiliar streets, or return to a favorite café twice in one day. In fact, nearly two-thirds of solo travelers say traveling alone allows them to connect more deeply with the places they visit.
For Ross, solo travel is ultimately about showing up fully in your own life. “So much of what solo traveling is about is not waiting for something in order to walk toward my life,” she says.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Have you ever taken a leisure trip alone?
If so, what led you to making that decision? How was your experience different than traveling with a partner, friends, or family? If not, is it something you have been curious to try? What is holding you back?
THE JOY OF CURLY HAIR
ROSS ON THE ORIGINS OF PATTERN BEAUTY
“IF
MY HAIR COULD TALK, OH, THE STORIES IT WOULD TELL.”
For Tracee Ellis Ross, the creation of PATTERN Beauty was the culmination of a journey of self-acceptance and self-love.
Growing up, Ross did not see her looks represented in magazines or on television. “Society told me there was a right way to wear my hair and a right way to look,” she said. “Beauty was definitely not something I felt related to me.”
“So I took notes on what was expected of me, where I fit in and where I didn’t. I was very aware of what the standard was and how I didn’t measure up.”
She tried to “beat her curls into submission,” putting body lotion in her hair, spending hours at the salon getting blowouts, and using chemical relaxers and clothing irons to match Wonder Woman’s tresses. In the process, both her hair and her self-esteem were damaged.
At 15, Ross decided to stop relaxing her curls and began learning how to care for her hair through self-education and experimentation.
When she joined the cast of “Girlfriends” in 2000, she often arrived on set hours before her call time to do her own hair. “I quickly learned that no one knew my hair better than me, and no single brand offered what I needed,” she said.
Over the next two decades, Ross became an expert not just on her own hair, but on curly hair more broadly. Along the way, she began to see a gap in the market.
“The line of products still didn’t exist that could bring together all the pieces at attainable price points for all,” she said. “So that’s why I was inspired to create PATTERN.”
Ross first conceived of the brand when “Girlfriends” went off the air in 2008, but struggled to find investors who shared her vision. She continued developing the idea, working with chemists on 74 samples before arriving at the final formulas.
PATTERN Beauty launched in 2019 with a line of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products designed specifically for curly, coily, and tightly textured hair.
Ross says she hopes the brand encourages others to build a more positive relationship with their own hair and to see it not as something to fix, but as something worth understanding and celebrating. After years spent learning to listen to her own curls, she hopes others can do the same.
This article was adapted from “CEO & Founder Tracee Ellis Ross’s Hair Story” on patternbeauty.com.
Photos: PATTERN
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2025-2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE
Teresa Downs, Chair Altria*
Andrea Lynn White, Vice Chair CareScoutInsurance*
William R. B. Hershey, Treasurer Davenport&Company*
Jonathan Brabrand, Secretary ProfessionalRestorationServices
COMMITTEECHAIRS
Kelly O'Keefe, Program Chair BrandFederation*
Janet Tope, Investment Chair Subscriber
Alison Rogish, Nominations & Governance Chair Deloitte*
Kevin D. Best, Education Chair VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity*
*SponsorofTheRichmondForum
PRODUCTION TEAM & STAFF
THERICHMONDFORUMSTAFF
Heather Mullins Crislip ExecutiveDirector,heather@richmondforum.org
Kathryn Blessing
DirectorofDevelopment&SponsorEvents,kathryn@richmondforum.org
Michael Brown
DirectorofSubscriberServices&Operations,michael@richmondforum.org
Maggie McVicar DirectorofCommunications,maggie@richmondforum.org
Sandra Wheeler
DirectorofStudentPrograms,sandra@richmondforum.org
Lucretia M. Anderson
AssistantDirectorofStudentPrograms,lucretia@richmondforum.org
2025–2026RICHMONDFORUMSCHOLARS
Jake Apelt, CollegiateSchool
Jake George, HenricoHighSchool
Ayani Milligan, MaggieL.WalkerGovernor'sSchool
Indira Mudinur, MaggieL.WalkerGovernor'sSchool
Birdie Weir, SaintGertrudeHighSchool
DIRECTORS
Chris Accashian
BonSecoursHealthSystem*
Corynne S. Arnett DominionEnergy*
Kristen Cavallo
TheBranchMuseumofDesign
Anthony Conte WellsFargo*
Dr. Ronald A. Crutcher Subscriber
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circleSstudio*
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PRODUCTION
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SPEECH & DEBATE
GUESS WHO’S GOING TO NATIONALS
IT IS FINALLY THE MOMENT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! We are proud to announce this year’s National Speech & Debate Tournament qualifiers from the Richmond Region.
This year, the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative (RFSDI) added a second pathway for local students to partake in a national competition.
We are now proud to partner with both the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) and the National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL). While both organizations offer national tournaments, the formats are quite different.
NSDA Nationals
Where: Richmond, VA
When: June 14-19, 2026
Events: Main and supplemental*
*Supplemental events allow participants who did not advance to the final rounds to continue competing throughout the tournament week.
Size: 7,000 competitors
NCFL Grand Nationals
Where: Washington, DC
When: May 23-24, 2026
Events: Main*
*The NCFL National Tournament is structured very similarly to the local weekend tournaments organized by RFSDI, just on a larger scale.
Size: 4,500 competitors
GET A PREVIEW OF NATIONALS!
The Richmond Forum, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, and VPM invite you to attend a screening of the award-winning documentary “SPEAK.” followed by a Q&A with local speech and debate coaches, students, and alumni.
The film, by Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman, follows five speech students as they prepare for and compete at the 2024 National Speech & Debate Tournament.
Tickets are free, but registration is required.
Sunday, May 3, 2026
2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture 428 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA 23220
National Qualifiers & Alternates
ATLEE HS
Coach: Julie Heimann
Jeremy Towler †
CLOVER
HILL HS
Coaches: Hunter Clark, Ethan Clark
Jax Bulbrook † *
Jasmine Franco °
Shayni Gogineni ° †
Andrew Haskin †
Lydia Joh ° †
COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
Coaches: Shannon Castelo, Laurel Maughan
Jake Apelt †
Hollyn Borich °
Emmett Lareau °
Emma Lucas ° *
Arianna Pena †
Justinas Petkauskas †
Akash Rohatgi †
Avi Soin †
COSBY HS
Coaches: Jaclyn Clark, Scott
McKeag, William Waddell
Jade Brown †
Andrew Chang †
Elizabeth Chapman † *
Noah Cornelisse †
Raymond Li † *
Aidan Liang † *
Heather Lin †
Katelyn Luu ° *
Grant Mountcastle †
Ian Perez ° *
Connor Preciado ° †
McKenzie Saul ° † *
Ved Shah †
Ceridwen Thomas †
Parsa Sheibani †
Serena Vasanth †
Gavriel Williams †
Abigail Willis °
DEEP RUN HS
Coaches: Sheryl Gibson, Rob Rumans
Joseph Cedeno † *
Campbell Corey ° *
Riley Haefner ° †
Aditi Inamdar †
Calista Marzouk † *
Isabella Paperman ° †
Shelly Purser ° †
Leyton Rafael Schwartz †
Sasha Emma Selvaraj ° †
Opal Sharma †
Anna Weitzenhofer ° †
JAMES RIVER
HS
Coaches: Jessica Sanchez, Joey Tucker
Luke Baker †
Cooke †
Naomi Fife ° †
Evelyn Lorraine Gayle ° †
Matthew Gosselin ° †
Malcolm Hess °
Bridget Higgins ° *
Kaely Jones †
Nathaniel Maust †
Evan O’Neill †
Sophia Parker †
Kendal Stuessy †
Elijah Venable †
Leah Wood ° † *
L. C. BIRD
HS
Coach: Melissa Ligh
Krishelle Belcher ° †
Jack Clippinger ° † *
Lucy Soukop † *
Mehtab Singh † *
MAGGIE WALKER
GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL
Coaches: Cecilia Boswell, Erin MacPherson
Lola Acquista †
Claire Adcock †
Urvika Bansal †
Harper Cox †
Geunyoung Chung ° †
Charvi Deorah ° †
Kritika Goel †
Aditi Kumar †
Jackie Liang †
Shanshri Liu ° *
Simon Moon †
Katherine Robin †
Vrinda Shah ° †
Shaivi Shankhwar †
Akash Arun Kumar Soumya †
MEADOWBROOK
HS
Coaches: Hajnalka Woosley, Kristen Thrower
Darwin Abreu †
Sydney Lin †
MIDLOTHIAN HS
Coach: Jaryd Engberg, Dustin Stiltner
Kendall Walker †
MILLS
GODWIN HS
Coach: Jonathan Saufley
Parker Boyles †
Tanusiya Debnath †
Esten Hung †
Abhay Singh †
MONACAN HS
Coaches: Sanchez Tucker, Olivia Boisseau, Joey Tucker
Ava Cordovana °
Elizabeth Greene †
Jenna Heffron †
Amelia Kaufman ° *
Elise Mackey °
Grace Moore ° †
Andrew Slonaker †
PETERSBURG HS
Coaches: Terri Smith, Johna Vazquez
Sanai Bragg †
Kyani Donohue † *
Taylor Thomas ° †
° NSDA † NCFL
* Alternate - If a qualifying student can no longer attend, an alternate student will be called up to compete.
FUN FACT: A state recordbreaking 401 students competed in the NSDA Virginia District Qualifiers to earn a Nationals bid!
Creating vibrant communities
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LEADPATRON
Altria Group
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PRESENTER
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Supporting visionaries
We proudly support The Richmond Forum and this evening’s speaker, Tracee Ellis Ross, as she reflects on her career in television and film and talks about the importance of authenticity.
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. & Mrs. Baxter W. Perkinson, Jr.,
students and faculty from Trinity Episcopal School have the opportunity to attend The Richmond Forum in a special program designed to connect the classroom, the community and current events. Trinity and The Forum are grateful to the Perkinsons for their continued support.
PartnerMD delivers awardwinning concierge primary care with more time, same-day or next-day appointments, and 24/7 access.
Better healthcare for an even better you.
Richmond | Midlothian | Short Pump
What do Virginia’s best brands have in common?
They’ve turned to Brand Federation for marketing research, branding and strategic planning. We’re proud to have advised the Richmond Forum, and many of its sponsors, to help turn their brands into fuel for growth.
1987
RICHMOND FORUM SPEAKERS
January Ted Koppel
February Hodding Carter and Larry Speakes with Paul Duke
March General Brent Scowcroft with Diane Sawyer
April Charles Kuralt
1988
January Oprah Winfrey
February Jeane Kirkpatrick and Vladimir Pozner with Marvin Kalb
March George Will
April Art Buchwald
1989
January Sam Donaldson
February Henry Kissinger with John Chancellor
March William Buckley and Charles Rangel
April Dr. Carl Sagan
1990
January Paul Duke, Howard Fineman and Charles McDowell
February Frank Carlucci, George McGovern, William Proxmire and William Rusher with Bettina Gregory
March Mike Wallace
April Alistair Cooke
1990–1991
October Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
January Admiral William Crowe, General Alexander Haig and Robert McFarlane with Edwin Newman
February H. Ross Perot
March Art Buchwald and Andy Rooney
April Captain James Lovell and Dr. Frank Drake with James Burke
1991–1992
October Barbara Walters
January PM Margaret Thatcher
February General H. Norman Schwarzkopf with Larry King
March Dr. Marc Micozzi and Dr. Victor McKusick with Patricia Cornwell
April Mark Russell
1992–1993
October Terry Anderson
January Hiroki Kato and T. Boone Pickens
February Dr. Joyce Brothers
March Dr. Bill Cosby
April President Mikhail Gorbachev with Cokie Roberts
1993–1994
November Senator Warren Rudman, Lamar Alexander and Dr. Marvin Cetron with Chris Wallace
January Frank Capiello and Michael Holland with Louis Rukeyser
February President George H. W. Bush
March Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
April Bob Newhart
1994–1995
November General Colin Powell
January Walter Cronkite
February Dave Barry
March Tom Clancy
April Jack Kemp and George Mitchell
1995–1996
November PM Brian Mulroney and Ambassador Carla Hills
January Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan and Dick Rutan with David Hartman
February Calvin Trillin
March Charles Kuralt
April David Gergen, Pierre Salinger, Sheila Tate and Bob Woodward with Ed Bradley
1996–1997
November Carl Reiner with Dick Cavett
January Paul Volcker with Ray Brady
February Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
March Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sir David Frost
April Marcia Clark, Philip K. Howard, Dr. Rodney Smolla and Kym Worthy with Prof. Arthur Miller
1997–1998
November Bill Moyers
January Wynton Marsalis
February PM Shimon Peres
March Mary Tyler Moore
April Peter Lynch
PAST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
On January 24, 1988, one of America’s most notable household names, Oprah Winfrey, opened the second season of The Forum.
Winfrey talked about her beginnings in poverty, her spiritual beliefs, her career highs and lows, a TV station’s efforts to change her looks, and the price of fame.
Like Ross will do tonight, Winfrey also discussed the virtues of courage and being true to oneself: “If each one of us started looking within ourselves and tried to work that out, we wouldn’t have time to worry about what other people were doing.”
In 2022, the duo cocreated the docuseries, “The Hair Tales,” along with Michaela Angela Davis to examine the significance and history of Black hair through the personal stories of women leaders.
1998–1999
November PM John Major
January Robert Bennett and Dr. William Bennett with Tim Russert
February Harry S. Dent, Jr. and Lou Dobbs
March Lily Tomlin
April Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau
1999–2000
November Julie Andrews
January Todd Brewster and Peter Jennings
February John Krubski and Michael Connors with Ray Brady
March Archbishop Desmond Tutu
April James Carville and Newt Gingrich with Tim Russert
2000–2001
November Senator John Glenn
January Tom Brokaw
February PM Benjamin Netanyahu
March Frank McCourt
April Dr. William Kelso
2001–2002
November Hal Holbrook
January Rabbi Marc Gellman and Msgr. Thomas Hartman
February Dick Clark
March Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
April Madeleine Albright and James Baker with Gwen Ifill
2002–2003
November Ken Burns
January Rudolph Giuliani
February PM Benazir Bhutto and Queen Noor with Gwen Ifill
March Louis Freeh
April Senator Fred Thompson
2003–2004
November Cal Ripken, Jr.
January Robert Shiller and Jeremy Siegel
February Candice Bergen
March President Mary Robinson
April Thomas L. Friedman
2004–2005
November General Tommy Franks
January Michael Beschloss and Walter Isaacson
February Tim Russert
March Dr. Fareed Zakaria
April Frank Gehry
2005–2006
November Robert Redford with Pat Mitchell
January Sherry Lansing
February General Colin Powell (Ret.)
March Tom Wolfe
April Rick Wagoner
2006–2007
November Burt Rutan
January Malcolm Gladwell and Alvin Toffler
February B.B. King
March Jim Lehrer
April Dr. Jared Diamond
2007–2008
November President Vicente Fox
January Carly Fiorina
February Michael Douglas
March Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
April David Brooks
2008–2009
November PM Tony Blair
January Reza Aslan and Jon Meacham
February Smokey Robinson with Daphne Maxwell Reid
March Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long
April Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan
2009–2010
November Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
January Greg Mortenson
March Steve Forbes
April Condoleezza Rice
May David Plouffe
2010–2011
November President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
January Laura Bush
February Anderson Cooper
March Dr. George Church
April David Blaine
2011–2012
November Dr. Robert Ballard
January Robert Gates
February Quincy Jones with Tim Reid
March Charles Krauthammer and Robert Reich with John Donvan
April Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith
2012–2013
November Platon
January Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin with Tim Reid
February President Bill Clinton
March Captain Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords
April Dr. Jane Goodall
2013–2014
November Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Maajid Nawaz with John Donvan
January Dan Buettner
February President George W. Bush
March PM Gordon Brown
April Steve Martin and Martin Short
2014–2015
November Diana Nyad
January Garry Trudeau
March Ben Bernanke with Paul Solman
April Dr. Daniel Levitin and Rosanne Cash
May General Keith Alexander and Robert Mueller with John Donvan
2015–2016
November Michael Sandel
January Alan Alda
February James Balog
March PM Julia Gillard
April Russell Wilson and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2016–2017
November Nate Parker
January Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham with Steve Inskeep
February Krista Tippett
March PM Ehud Barak and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei with Robin Wright
April Ron Howard with Linda Holmes
2017–2018
November President Barack Obama
January Glenn Close
February Peter Diamandis
March Ambassador Samantha Power
April Joe Scarborough and Newt Gingrich with Mara Liasson
2018–2019
November Captain Scott Kelly
January Tina Fey with Linda Holmes
February Dr. Sanjay Gupta
March Ian Bremmer
April Dr. Temple Grandin with John Donvan
2019–2020
November Bob Costas
January Dave Isay, Catherine Burns and Brandon Stanton with John Donvan
February Peggy Noonan
2020–2021
November José Andrés
January Theresa May
February Esther Perel
March Bryan Stevenson
April Vijay Gupta
2022
January Bob Iger with Kara Swisher
February Gloria Steinem with Zainab Salbi
March Erik Weihenmayer
April Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
May Rhiannon Giddens
June Michelle Obama
2022–2023
November Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (USA, Ret.)
January Maria Ressa
February Ella Al-Shamahi
March John Lithgow
April Dr. Cornel West and Thomas Chatterton Williams
2023–2024
November Isabel Wilkerson
January Joel Sartore
February Liz Cheney
March Dr. Anthony Fauci
April Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel
2024–2025
November Baratunde Thurston
January Dr. Amber Straughn
February Mike “Coack K” Krzyzewzski
March Richard Reeves
April Martha Stewart with Soledad O’Brien
2025–2026
October Andrew Ross Sorkin
November Ted Koppel with Amna Nawaz
January PM Sanna Marin
February Joe Manchin, Andrew Yang, and Justin Amash
March Tracee Ellis Ross
April John Green
Explore our past speaker archive and share your Forum memories at richmondforum.org/speaker.
Local expertise.
Global reach.
JOE MANCHIN, ANDREW YANG, & JUSTIN AMASH
AT THE RICHMOND FORUM FEBRUARY 21, 2026
The two-party system is showing its cracks. As polarization deepens and trust in government erodes, many Americans are asking if the redversus-blue framework can still fulfill the needs of a diverse and complicated society.
On Saturday, February 21, former Senator Joe Manchin, Forward Party co-founder Andrew Yang, and former Congressman Justin Amash examined how political tribalism stifles innovation and consensus. From alternative voting systems to the rise of independents, these three leaders explored whether a postpartisan future is possible and challenged the audience to rethink the foundations of American democracy in a time when the old rules are not working.
Moderator Mara Liasson opened the conversation by framing the stakes: a recordhigh 45% of Americans identify with neither major party. “This isn’t going to be a woe-is-me discussion,” she said. “We’re going to talk about solutions.”
Manchin, who formally left the Democratic Party to register as an independent, put it plainly. “The party system has been weaponized,” he said. “It’s a duopoly and it makes you pick a side. They both have the same modus operandi: the
other side’s evil, they’re wrong, you hate them, you’ve got to defeat them. You don’t have anywhere else to go. I said enough is enough and I became an independent.”
Yang, once a Democratic presidential candidate, traced the dysfunction to electoral mechanics. “The incentives are so lousy because of our primary system,” he said, noting that the small share (11%) of Americans who vote in primaries end up controlling who can get through the gate. With congressional approval near 15% but reelection rates around 94%, Yang said the mismatch would be unthinkable in business.
“If four out of five of your customers were unhappy and you changed absolutely nothing year after year,” he said, “that company wouldn’t last very long.”
“What’s happening now is what you would expect based upon the current design,” Yang added. “The only way out is to change the design.”
Amash, who left the Republican Party and later aligned with the Libertarian Party, described Congress as structurally oriented toward self-preservation. “Everything in Congress is for the sake of winning,” he said.
“The entire system is structured to perpetuate
power.” Party leadership, he added, controls committee assignments, legislative access, and campaign resources, leaving many lawmakers focused more on maintaining position than deliberating policy. The result, he warned, is “a partisan death spiral.”
When the discussion turned to remedies, consensus again emerged around structural reform. Yang advocated for ranked-choice voting (RCV), calling it a straightforward way to reward broader appeal. When Manchin quipped that they didn’t have enough time to explain how RCV works, Yang jokingly replied that if his young son can rank his favorite ice cream flavors, voters can handle a ranked ballot.
Manchin pushed for nonpartisan primaries and a specific set of term limits that includes a single six-year term for presidents and an 18-year limit on the Supreme Court. Amash focused on increased electoral competition, aligning Congressional election years to avoid perpetual campaigning, and empowering citizens to take back control. “It’s on you to shape Congress,” he said.
Together, they shared the conclusion that the American system is not irreparably broken, it is simply operating as designed. Whether it evolves, they suggested, depends less on Washington than on whether voters decide they want something different.
IAPPRECIATEDTHEMESSAGETHATITIS POSSIBLEFORUSTOCHANGETHESYSTEM THAT’SSOBROKEN,ANDTHATWETHE CITIZENSWILLNEEDTODOTHEHEAVYLIFTING.
-ForumSubscriber
1) Manchin, Yang, and Amash on stage. 2) NPR’s Mara Liasson asks questions from the audience. 3) The speakers visit the Student Room to talk with local high school students. 4) Jonathan Brabrand of The Richmond Forum Board of Directors introduces the speakers. 5) Guests of Hourigan, the Host Patron for the evening. 6) Willie Williams provides musical entertainment.
JUNE 14–19, 2026
The National Speech & Debate Tournament is coming to Richmond!
THANK YOU TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS
Herndon Foundation
Meta Richmond Debate Institute
SingleStone
City of Richmond Henrico County
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
HELP US ROLL OUT RICHMOND’S RED CARPET
for the 10,000 competitors, coaches, judges, and families who will fill our schools and our city with their energy, talent, and ideas this June.
These remarkable young people have spent the year learning how to argue ideas, tell stories, and listen carefully to perspectives different from their own.
In other words, they’re our kind of people.
The Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative is leading the local host committee for the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, and we are recruiting volunteers to help Richmond shine. For five days in June, our community will become the national stage for the next generation of voices who care deeply about ideas and who are practicing the habits of thoughtful citizenship.
Competitions will take place across 11 venues , including the Greater Richmond Convention Center, Altria Theater, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and several local middle and high schools. Throughout the week, we will need hundreds of volunteers to help with hospitality, wayfinding, information desks, and site support so that every visitor experiences the best of Richmond.
It is a big job, but it is also a joyful one.
If you have ever left The Richmond Forum energized by a powerful voice or a compelling idea, this is a wonderful way to pass that spirit forward. These students are the future speakers, leaders, journalists, advocates, and citizens who will shape the conversations of tomorrow.
PLEASE NOTE: Volunteers do not need to commit to the full week and shifts are flexible. High school students are encouraged to volunteer and can earn service-learning hours.
Hosting the National Tournament is a moment of pride for our region. Together, we can make sure that every student who travels here leaves inspired by Richmond’s history, culture, and warm hospitality.
Available Positions
Morning Arrival Traffic Flow
Event Set-Up & Breakdown
Wayfinding
Concession Sales ... and many more!
Register to Volunteer
Visit richmondforum.org/2026 or scan the QR code below to sign up for a volunteer shift.
UP NEXT AT THE FORUM
#RVAFORUM FOLLOW THEFORUM
APRIL 18, 2026
JOHN GREEN
PERPETUALLY CURIOUS
The world is a strange place. People are even stranger. Why do we stand in awe at the sight of a sunset? Why do diseases remain uncured despite astonishing advances in medicine? And why, in an age of touchscreens and voice commands, are we still clinging to the QWERTY keyboard? Bestselling author and perpetually curious human John Green invites us to tug at the loose threads of our beautifully baffling world. Through heartfelt storytelling woven with scientific insights and historical oddities, Green will make us fall deeply in love with the complexities of the human experience, even the ones we deem a bit strange. (Format: Speech with Q&A)
THE 40TH BOW
Forty seasons now nearly complete, Four decades of gathering in thought-filled seats. One final night this April brings An author and the joy that curiosity sings.
It’s the question mark at the center of why, The spark that lifts each voice we amplify. Please stay with us as the evening ends, As wonder bends and insight blends.
Then, at last, when applause begins to roar, We’ll unveil what next season has in store.
Expect bold voices, from science to art, From halls of power to stories of heart.
Uncommon VoicE
“I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.”
Just like Tracee Ellis Ross, VCU creates space for students to be exactly who they are — and who they’re meant to be. With a culture rooted in care, creativity, and community support, we empower voices and ideas that light the way forward. And the future looks bright.
VCU. We are the uncommon.