The event was cancelled by multiple venues until they found a steadfast host.
In discussion, Ta-Nihisi Coates and Rashid Khalidi emphasize that the strength of the movement in the US is at an all time high. Coates:
you can confuse the ferociousness of the pushback with strength.
the fact that we had to struggle to find a venue for this event, doesn’t say anything about the strength of this movement here. It doesn’t say anything about our strength. Says a lot about the threat and what people feel and the weakness
Michelle Alexander's essay, from her opening speech, subtitled "Our liberation depends upon us breaking our silences.", was published in Hammer and Hope.
Democracy Now! aired the discussion between Ta-Nihisi Coates and Rashid Khalidi from this event (along with Alexander's speech), so a transcription (in addition to the edited recording) is available: