Dr. Bernice A. King to Deliver Inaugural International Women's Forum Susan Hammer Memorial Lecture

Dr. King and Dr. Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and NYT best-selling author, will speak as part of programming titled "The Civility Crisis: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Uncivil Behavior" at the IWF World Leadership Conference in Seattle, WA, on May 23, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Women's Forum (IWF) is proud to announce that IWF Georgia member Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center and daughter of civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, will serve as the inaugural speaker for the Susan Hammer Memorial Lecture at the upcoming IWF World Leadership Conference in Seattle, Washington, in May 2025. This session, designed to honor late IWF Oregon member Susan Hammer's legacy as a trailblazing lawyer, mediator, and advocate for women's advancement, marks a significant moment in IWF's over 50-year history and will be a highlight of this year's conference.

Dr. King will speak as part of programming titled The Civility Crisis: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Uncivil Behavior. The conversation will draw from her expertise as an advocate for nonviolent social change to explore the challenges posed by the growing climate of incivility in modern society – from online spaces to professional settings to political institutions – and offer insight into how women leaders can play a role in rebuilding civil discourse in an increasingly polari zed world.

Dr. Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, and New York Times best-selling author, will also deliver remarks as part of The Civility Crisis programming. Dr. Brooks' speech, Love Your Enemies, will provide a roadmap to overcoming the 'culture of contempt' and provide insight into how leaders can gain strength by bridging divides and accepting differences.

"Dr. King embodies the principles of civility, justice, and peace, and her insight will be invaluable to IWF's global community of women leaders as we seek to better understand the roots of incivility and find ways to counter its spread," said Kimberly Cooper Jaqua, IWF Global Board President. "Through Dr. King's and Dr. Brooks' leadership, we are reminded that we each have a vital role to play in creating a world that values constructive dialogue and respectful cooperation."

The IWF World Leadership Conference in Seattle will bring together over 800 women leaders from around the globe to explore critical global issues with local context, through a women's lens. IWF conferences are by invitation only, members of the IWF community may register here.

The Susan Hammer Memorial Lecture was endowed by a historic gift from late IWF Oregon member Susan Hammer and will feature annually women who have made significant contributions to peace and civil society. The inaugural lecture will be delivered at IWF's World Leadership Conference in May, and at IWF's Cornerstone Conference annually thereafter. One of the first women lawyers and international mediators of her era, Susan was a champion and advocate for women worldwide, ensuring greater access and opportunity for all. IWF is proud to honor her legacy through this lecture series.

About IWF
The International Women's Forum was founded in 1974 and now connects more than 8,500 women leaders in 77 Forums and 35 countries with the goal of advancing women's leadership. The membership is comprised of top women leaders across all professions and is the only organization of this scale that builds significant relationships among C-suite women across careers, cultures, and continents. To learn more about IWF, visit: iwforum.org

About Dr. Bernice A. King
Dr. Bernice A. King is a global thought leader, strategist, solutionist, orator, peace advocate, and CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center For Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center), which was founded by her mother as the official living memorial to the life, work, and legacy of her father.

Through her work at The King Center, she educates youth and adults around the world about the nonviolent principles and strategies modeled by her parents. Under her leadership, the Center has implemented numerous initiatives reaching over 500,000 people around the world, including the Beloved Community Leadership Academy, Students with King, NV365 Education & Training, and The Beloved Community Talks, a courageous conversations platform about the difficult racial and social justice issues impacting our world. Dr. King led the development of an NV365 certification program for trainers, which provides individuals with the opportunity to teach the NV365 curriculum on behalf of The King Center. She is an instructor for the program and a trainer.

She is a licensed attorney and member of the State Bar of Georgia; a certified Mediator with the State of Georgia; a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, the International Women's Forum (IWF), the National Council of Negro Women; a Board member of the National Black Bank Foundation as well as Faith and Prejudice. 

A noted author, Dr. King's most recent work is a children's book entitled, "It Starts with Me" which she co-authored with Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson. The book teaches children about the Beloved Community, a world where everyone feels like they belong. All proceeds from book sales go to the King Center to further the mission of creating an inclusive, just, humane, peaceful and equitable world.

Dr. King holds a Doctorate of Law Degree from Emory University, A Master of Divinity Degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Spelman College. She is also the recipient of numerous other awards and honorary degrees.

Dr. King is an innovative, inspirational, and transformational leader. She is dedicated to ensuring that her parents' legacy and teachings, The King Center, as well as the work of creating the Beloved Community, with Nonviolence365 as the pathway, are introduced to new generations of influencers.

About Arthur Brooks
Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular weekly "How to Build a Life" column.

Brooks is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including Build the Life You Want in 2023, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.

Brooks is one of the world's leading experts on the science of human happiness, appearing in the media and traveling the world to teach people in private companies, universities, public agencies, and faith communities how they can live happier lives and bring greater well-being to others.

Contact:
Laine Funkhouser, Global Head of Communications, International Women's Forum
[email protected]

SOURCE International Women's Forum