#CMRS2026 Conference

Join CMRS scholars, artists, activists, students, clinicians, and community members for an in-person conference February 19–21, 2026 at UCLA.

The 2026 CMRSA Conference Programming Committee is thrilled to announce the theme for our 8th biennial Critical Mixed Race Studies Association Conference: Critical Healing: Honoring Resilience and Disrupting Power through Diverse Critical Mixed Race Perspectives. The conference will be held from Thursday, February 19, through Saturday, February 21, 2026 at UCLA, and sessions will be offered in person. We are excited to explore creative ways to honor our resilience as an international organization. This announcement provides context for the chosen theme and information to guide the development and submission of conference session proposals. This conference will provide a space to gather, connect, share information, and build community in light of changes in laws, policies, norms, and values driven by actions of local, state, and national governing bodies. We will come together as a community and remember our strength, connection, and solidarity; while renewing our commitment to live, think, and act critically. We will strive to consistently name systems of power and disrupt them by building new systems and processes that are more equitable and sustainable.

In framing the overarching theme of the conference, the programming committee drew on the wise words of author Resma Menakem, written in his ground-breaking book, My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies. He noted that “Genuine healing is a temporarily disruptive process…Just as the human body creates inflammation to heal, wise social activism creates the social and cultural disruptions needed to help a culture heal and grow up” (2017:258). The theme of healing has become a focal point for many marginalized communities in the last several years that have yielded more expansive definitions of this experience. Critical healing must address the trauma to individuals and communities, both nationally and globally, caused by the intertwined systems of white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, heterosexism, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, colorism, and other manifestations of oppression. As Menakem notes, trauma and healing are connected by and through time. Given the themes noted here, we recognize that healing is not just about us and today; it includes our ancestors and history, and can be strengthened by actions that are intersectional, intergenerational, and collaborative in nature.

Registration Pricing

Register through Whova here

Conference Schedule

Please find our conference schedule here.

CMRS 2026 Conference FAQs

Find a list of conference FAQs here

Hotel Information

We encourage attendees to book their stay at the UCLA Luskin Center Hotel, located directly on the UCLA campus. This convenient location is just a one-minute walk from the James West Alumni Center (JWAC), where many of our conference events will be held. Staying at the Luskin Center ensures easy access to sessions, networking, and the heart of the CMRS 2026 experience. Please help us fill our room block by booking through the following link by January 19th, 2026.

To reserve a room in the UCLA Luskin Center Hotel with our group rate after January 19th, please email Lilian Lin at llin@ha.ucla.edu to request the CMRS Conference hotel room block rate.

Book Your Room at the UCLA Luskin Center Hotel

Airport & Travel Information

The closest airport to UCLA is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Distance from UCLA: Approximately 12 miles
Driving Time: About 20–30 minutes, depending on traffic

We’ve added a couple of alternative hotel options for your convenience. While we don’t have room blocks or special rates at these locations, they tend to be a bit more budget-friendly. Both are located within walking distance of the James West Alumni Center.

Plaza La Reina

📍 10850 Lindbrook Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024
📞 (310) 986-6888
🌐 plazalareina.com
🗺️ Approximately 0.9 miles from the James West Alumni Center (~20-minute walk)

Royal Palace Westwood

📍 1052 Tiverton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
📞 (310) 208-6677
🌐 royalpalacewestwood.com
🗺️ Approximately 0.8 miles from the James West Alumni Center (~17-minute walk)

LAX is the most convenient option for domestic and international travelers attending the 2026 CMRS Conference. You can reach UCLA by rideshare (Lyft/Uber), taxi, shuttle, or public transit from the airport.

Become a Sponsor!

Your support for the 2026 CMRS Conference can provide opportunities for the greater mixed-race community to learn, engage, and collaborate with local, national, and international scholars, artists, activists, students, clinicians, and community organizations who are interested in addressing our changing demographics and building meaningful dialogue and action that speaks to our collective humanity and growing diversity of lived experiences.

In addition, your support will…

Improve accessibility by keeping conference registration costs low
Promote local multiracial artists and activists
Help multiracial students and scholars disseminate innovative research, art, and projects

Click HERE to become a sponsor. We appreciate your support!

DONATE HERE

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#CMRS2026