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Joshua Barr

Joshua V. Barr is an Emmy and national award-winning transformational leader, human rights attorney, and public speaker training people in all 50 states and five continents. After trying to force a corporate career, he decided to pursue his true passion: working to create a fairer world for all people. Joshua has worked on policy change at the local, state, and federal levels as a civil and human rights executive director, attorney, and consultant. As the executive director of the Des Moines Civil & Human Rights Commission, he revitalized the city’s community engagement. His Bridging the Gap initiative utilized community dialogues to craft, develop, and implement over 20 new city policies and practices designed to improve community-government relations and help residents move up the socioeconomic ladder.

Speaker Presentation Summary

As the Chief Strategist and President of his own organization, Raising The Barr, Joshua Barr collaborates with and counsels government entities, not-for-profits, and other organizations on topics that include:

  • Citizen Participation & Equitable Engagement (CPEE), a toolkit he developed for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • Breaking Bread and Building Bridges, community dialogues to make every corner of the country a better place
  • A Better Way: 50+ Action Items to Fight Against Racism In Your Community

Expertise

In 2020, Joshua debuted his Emmy award-winning documentary, Breaking Bread, Building Bridges, where nearly 40 strangers were matched up based on their differences to have dinners together over the course of a few months to see if they could form bonds and find common ground. Joshua now serves as the Chief Strategist and President of his own organization, Raising The Barr, where he collaborates with and counsels government entities and other organizations committed to transforming their cultures and improving socioeconomic outcomes for their community stakeholders.

“His passion, experience, and heartfelt delivery are extraordinary. I highly recommend working with Mr. Barr - we are grateful to have him!”
Tiffany N. Berkenes
4-H Youth Program Specialist, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach