NASHVILLE, TN — Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH) will hold its annual fundraising banquet on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Trevecca Nazarene University’s Boone Convocation Center. The event will feature keynote speaker Taure Brown and honor Walter T. Searcy, III with the Flame of Hope Distinguished Leader Award.

NOAH is a faith-led, multi-racial, and interdenominational coalition comprised of congregations, community organizations, and labor unions. The group works to combat systemic injustices and amplify the voices of traditionally marginalized communities through community engagement, leadership training, and direct public action.

Brown is director of the James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements at Vanderbilt University. He is a Ph.D. candidate whose research focuses on media, racial ideology, and political development. Prior to entering academia, Brown organized around housing justice, education equity, and community safety.

Searcy chairs the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Transportation and serves on the Metro Community Review Board. He also co-chairs the Economic Equity, Jobs, and Transportation Task Force for NOAH.

“NOAH recognizes that each of us has power—and when we come together, we are even stronger,” said Rev. Linda Brown-Saffore, NOAH President. “Our collective power is transformative, and this event is an opportunity to celebrate that impact while continuing to build momentum for change. We are grateful for the work our co-chairs Susie Ries and Valeri Otey Nellis and their committee are doing to ensure a meaningful impactful evening.”

Tickets for the banquet cost $150 per person or $1,000 for a table of eight. Sponsorship packages are available for organizations and individuals who wish to support NOAH’s work.