HOPE 2027

28th International Families & Fathers Conference

Los Angeles, California
Hilton LAX Hotel • 5711 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90045

April 11, 2027 — Special Coalition Café Networking Evening Event
April 12, 2027 — Deep Dive & Credential Trainings with Three Featured HOPE Talks
April 13–15, 2027 — Three mornings of HOPE Talks, approximately 25 HOPE Talk speakers, and up to 45 workshop sessions across Opening Day, Day Two, and Closing Day

Call for Workshop & HOPE Talk Proposals

Join a global family of change-makers in Los Angeles for HOPE 2027. We are seeking bold voices, practical leaders, researchers, practitioners, parents, advocates, and visionaries to deliver both traditional high-impact workshops and our new 15-minute HOPE Talks designed to inspire, challenge, and move people toward action.

This is more than a conference proposal process. It is an invitation to help shape a gathering rooted in belonging, purpose, collaboration, and transformational learning for families, fathers, children, and communities.

HOPE 2027 is an in-person conference experience in Los Angeles, California, and accepted presenters will be expected to follow presenter requirements, registration expectations, and conference participation guidelines as outlined in the proposal process.

The Vision of HOPE 2027

A Message from Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW
President and Chief Executive Officer
Fathers and Families Coalition of America

In 1996, we did not begin with a strategic plan. We began with a heartbeat. The Fathers and Families Coalition of America was born from a grassroots collective in Arizona grounded in one enduring truth: families matter. By 1999, we were helping secure some of the nation’s earliest grants focused on young fathers, workforce development, education, and life skills. We were building programs, services, and resources that moved people forward.

Yet over time, something deeper became clear. Programs matter. Resources matter. Services matter. But none of them are enough on their own. The machinery can be strong, but without hope, momentum fades. Hope is the fuel.

The Architecture of Hope

At HOPE 2027, we are embracing what we call a micro-to-macro-to-meso approach. Change starts at the micro level — the individual heart. When that heart is strengthened, it overflows into the meso — the family. And when families are fortified, they transform the macro — our communities, organizations, and systems.

That is why, alongside our traditional workshops, we are introducing HOPE Talks as a permanent part of our conference experience. A workshop provides the tools for the trade. A HOPE Talk provides the spark for the journey. These 15-minute sessions are designed to move hearts, shift thinking, and create momentum that lasts long after the conference ends.

Radical Generosity & The Sense of Belonging

At the Fathers and Families Coalition of America, we do not simply host sessions. We build bridges of destiny. Our work is rooted in generosity, inclusion, and belonging. We are not inviting you into a slot on a schedule. We are inviting you into a community.

We envision a space where the researcher from Almaty, the practitioner from Australia, the advocate from Puerto Rico, and the parent from Los Angeles can sit at the same table. We believe your time, your talent, your lived experience, and your voice deserve to be received with respect, care, and reciprocity.

Every HOPE Talk should offer at least three Hope Nuggets — clear, practical takeaways that participants can carry back into their homes, classrooms, agencies, staff meetings, and communities. We are looking for presentations that do more than inform. We are looking for messages that move the needle, build belonging, and create action.

An Invitation to Lead

My colleagues, this is more than a submission process. This is an invitation. An invitation to lead. An invitation to share. An invitation to make a difference.

I encourage you to approach this opportunity with courage, creativity, and confidence. Bring your boldest ideas, your most healing-centered practices, and your most authentic presence. Your message matters. Your story matters. The hope you carry may be exactly what someone else needs.

What Is a HOPE Talk?

A HOPE Talk is a focused, high-impact 15-minute presentation designed to inspire, influence, and create meaningful action. It is shorter than a traditional workshop, but it is meant to leave a lasting impression.

While a workshop gives attendees deeper training, tools, and structured learning, a HOPE Talk is designed to provide a spark — a moment of clarity, courage, healing, or vision that moves people forward.

We are looking for HOPE Talks that combine authentic voice, lived experience, practical wisdom, and purpose. The best HOPE Talks do more than inform — they move the needle, build belonging, and leave people with something they can use.

Important Submission Instructions

Please read carefully before completing your proposal.

What You Need to Know

There are two proposal pathways within this application:

• Workshop Proposal — a 60 to 75-minute session focused on practical learning, professional development, and participant engagement.
• HOPE Talk Proposal — a 15-minute presentation centered on inspiration, influence, and impact, including at least three actionable Hope Nuggets.

You may submit for a workshop only, a HOPE Talk only, or request consideration for both.

Presenter Requirements

• All accepted presenters must complete conference registration to be fully accepted.
• All accepted presenters must reserve their hotel room within the Hilton LAX and official FFCA hotel block.
• All presenters must complete the Agreement and Understanding of the Process and confirm review of presentation standards.
• All required proposal fields must be completed for your submission to be fully considered.

The proposal form will ask for your basic information, including your name, email, organization, mobile number, mailing address, applicable graduate degrees, and confirmation that you understand the registration and hotel requirements.