Marion Van Namen is a transformational speaker and coach helping white parents of Black and Brown children raise their kids with humility, awareness, and fierce love. With raw honesty and hard-earned wisdom, she invites audiences into the messy, meaningful work of waking up — and staying awake — as caregivers in a racially unjust world.

Marion doesn’t speak on behalf of her children — she speaks from the lens of a white mother who has had to confront her own conditioning, advocate inside biased systems, and build a home where racial identity is honored, not erased.

She does this work so that fewer Black and Brown children have to carry the emotional and institutional weight that her children have carried.

Marion Speaks On:

• Interracial Adoption & Parenting
• Raising Children of Color as a White Parent
• Mental health, Disability and Systemic Bias
• White Privilege and Cultural Humility
• Advocating Fiercely in Schools and Systems
• From Saviorism to Solidarity
• Parenting through Rage, Trauma and Hope
• The Spiritual Side of Anti-Racism

Signature Talks

1. White Awake Parenting: Raising Black and Brown Kids without Losing Your Soul 

A deeply personal and transformative talk about what happens when a white parent is called to raise children in a racial reality she never had to see before. Marion shares her journey from comfort to courage — from “good intentions” to real accountability — and offers a practical, soulful path for white parents who want to show up for their kids with eyes and hearts wide open.

2. From Fragile to Fierce: A Wake-Up Call for White Parents

What stops so many white parents from advocating boldly for their children of color? In this powerful and practical keynote, Marion unpacks the habits of silence, avoidance, and perfectionism that keep white caregivers stuck — and lays out a clear path from performative allyship to grounded, sustained action. This talk is a wake-up call for parents who want to do better — not from guilt, but from love with backbone.

3. When Love Isn't Enough: Parenting Beyond Colorblindness

Many white parents believe love can conquer all — but love without awareness can still cause harm. This talk invites parents to move beyond colorblind ideals, unlearn internalized whiteness, and create home environments where their Black and Brown children are truly seen, heard, and celebrated.