Rising Up, Branching Out - Safe States 2025 Conference Preview

In this INbetween episode, host Mighty Fine provides some insight into the upcoming "Virtual" Safe States Annual Conference which will be held September 9-11, 2025 online using the Whova app. Participants can expect an agenda packed full of sessions, activities, networking opportunities, gameification and so much more. Listen in to hear Mighty share some of the details about the agenda and activities planned for the upcoming Safe States conference and if you haven't registered, please visit www.safestates.org to get signed up!

Transcript

Mighty Fine: 0:14

Hi folks, Mighty Fine here. Host of the IVP INdepth podcast, a Safe States Alliance production, I'm with you today to bring you an INbetween episode to share some exciting information about the upcoming Safe States "Virtual"Annual Conference, which is taking place on September 9th through the 11th. And guess what? Registration is open now through September 5th, and you'll be able to participate using the Whova app. The cost is $300 for Safe States members, $375for non members, $100 for students, $750 for exhibitors, and $1500 for sponsors.

Mighty Fine: 0:50

The agenda is available online, so I encourage you to take a look at safestates.org. We're so excited about the keynote sessions for this year, and on Day One, September 9, we have "Empowering Voices: Strategies for Inclusive and Impactful Messaging." This session will illuminate the importance of crafting messages that truly resonate, turning perceived divisions into valuable opportunities for connection. Our keynote panel will discuss innovative strategies that they've used in tailoring communication campaigns that empower people to bridge the gaps between them, drawing from polling results and years of journalistic experience, the speakers will highlight strategies and tactics for developing messaging that widens the net of stakeholders brought into your efforts. The speakers include Eric Anderson, Principal at SE2 Communications. Lori Weigel, Principal at New Bridge Strategy, and Carolyn McGreal, Insights Analyst with New Bridge Strategy. On Day Two, September 10, we have "Strengthening Our Core: Building Resiliency In Our Communities and Our Workforce." This keynote session will explore practical strategies for building resilience within ourselves and the communities we serve. You'll gain insights into fostering resilience in multiple ways. Discussions will center on our own resilience as a field, developing supportive networks and implementing adaptive strategies to enhance our response to the evolving landscape of injury and violence prevention. We'll also examine how to build resilience in the communities that we serve, emphasizing the protective nature of resilience across so many injury and violence outcomes. The speakers for this session include Andrea Stinton, Director of Workforce Strategy and Initiatives at Resilient Georgia, Casey Venning, Helping Empower Youth, or (HEY), in closing us out for these key sessions on Day Three, September 11, we have "Grand Rounds - Future Forward Strategies for Sustainable Injury and Violence Prevention". So as we draw the conference to a close, join us for a thought provoking Grand Rounds session that will explore the future of injury and violence prevention work, our panel of expert speakers will lead a timely conversation on redefining our approaches, reimagining funding strategies and reshaping the narrative surrounding prevention efforts in today's rapidly evolving landscape. In this session, our diverse panel will dive into conversations around how our fields direction can shift and highlight success stories that can serve as models for others. We'll discuss how to navigate funding in a challenging climate, while emphasizing the importance of shifting priorities to pursue strong preventive strategies. We don't just have these keynote sessions. We have other sessions as well that will be offered throughout the conference. These include Synergized Showcases, Inspired Learning, Learning Labs and Lightning Talks.

Mighty Fine: 3:43

Another really cool thing that I want you to make sure that you know is we have the Conference Buddies. It's a program offered for first time attendees and new Safe States members. It pairs you with seasoned Safe States members and provides opportunities to navigate the conference with a sense of belonging right from the start, and you get to meet new people throughout this Conference Buddies connection initiative. For those who sign up, pairings will occur prior to the conference so that the Conference Buddies can connect ahead of time to review the agenda, discuss the format and answer questions, so that the conference experience is as seamless as possible, and once the conference starts, we want to encourage Conference Buddies to check in with each other at various points throughout the meeting, to ensure that all is going well at the conference.

Mighty Fine: 4:32

And we'll be virtual. But guess what? There'll be plenty of networking time offered throughout the meeting, which we know you all our members love, so that there can be one-on-one connections, group times, speed networking, round tables and so much more. And we also have some really cool games and activities planned throughout the conference as well. These include a photo contest helping us to see through your eyes what is injury and violence prevention. Show us what it looks like to you. We'll have online trivia and scavenger hunts with questions about Safe States' history and resources. Keyword, a new game designed to enhance participation and learning through collecting keywords during the keynote sessions and meeting exhibits. Then we have Conference Bingo, one of my favorites. You'll receive a bingo card at the start of the conference and work to get one or more bingos throughout the three days. So be sure to participate in these really fun games. Ways to keep us interactive, although we'll be virtual.

Mighty Fine: 5:30

And of course, you should most certainly plan to participate in the IVP INdepth podcast during the conference. We will have scheduled times available for you to drop by our Riverside studio to record with us and answer some of our questions about your experience at the sessions, networking opportunities, exhibit booths and whatever. We just want to hear about your wonderful experience. I'm so excited to see you in a couple of months, and if you haven't already, be sure to register. I look forward to seeing you virtually at this conference.

Mighty Fine: 6:01

This is your host, Mighty Fine, signing out, and until then, stay safe and injury free.