Featured Leaders of Color Project published concept papers:
- Working in Predominantly White Organizations: Experiences, Insights, and Strategies from Leaders Who Identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and from White Leaders (2023)
- Effective Strategies for Obtaining Racial Equity in Philanthropic Funding (2022)
- Beyond Cultural and Linguistic Competence: Achieving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Leaders of Color (2020)
Please contact Lena Wilson, Leaders of Color Project Facilitator, at Lenawilson@vistadelmar.org
MARCH 2025 SUMMIT OVERVIEW BOSTON, MA
Overview:
The 4th Annual Leaders of Color (LoC) Summit was held March 22–24, 2025, in Boston, MA, bringing together LoC members from across the country for three days of learning, strategy, community-building, and collaborative planning. Hosted at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza and sponsored by ACRC, MyPath Companies, Vista Del Mar, and national partner organizations, the summit served as a dedicated space for diverse leaders to deepen relationships, refine shared priorities, and strengthen the impact of the LoC Project across the field.
Summit Purpose focused on the following areas:
Strengthening collective identity and shared purpose, advancing sustainability and long-term organizational structure, refining membership value and engagement pathways, building capacity through training, research, and thought leadership, and preparing for strategic expansion of consulting, publication, and partnership opportunities.
Summit Highlights
- Building shared Understanding & Identity
Members revisited the LoC mission, vision, and values and explored how the group integrates with ACRC’s equity, advocacy, and leadership structures. Sessions emphasized collective decision-making methods, clarity around governance models, and the ongoing transition from a grant-funded initiative to a fiscally sponsored project.
*Referenced in summit deck
- Guest Presentations
The summit featured three powerful learning experiences led by national experts:
- Ayesha Rodriguez – Pathways: Crafting Your Life’s Narrative – A transformative session guiding participants to align their personal vision, leadership journey, and professional aspirations.
- Ashley Bernal, ProInspire – Thriving Leaders & Communities (TLC) – A research-based presentation highlighting conditions diverse leaders need to thrive inside organizations and communities, with actionable recommendations for LoC members.
- Rabbi Jackie Redner – Mind-Body Medicine – A wellness session exploring evidence-based mind-body practices and tools for sustaining emotional resilience and leadership presence.
- Community, Connection & Celebration
Members gathered for communal dinners, informal networking, and shared time exploring historic downtown Boston, reinforcing the importance of relational culture within the LoC project.
- Looking Ahead
As the LoC Project continues to grow, the 2025 Summit laid a firm foundation for expanding member leadership, strengthening advocacy impact, increasing sustainability, and supporting the next generation of BIPOC leaders within residential and community-based care.
The work emerging from Boston—particularly the sustainability roadmap, membership enhancements, and training/publication strategies—will guide the project’s evolution into 2026 and beyond.
- Resources
MAY 2024 SUMMIT OVERVIEW PHOENIX, AZ
Overview:
This year, the LoC Summit occurred prior to our annual conference, thereby enabling the two events to happen concurrently. The LoC Project supports both ACRC membership and initiatives that address disproportionality and disparity of outcomes. This years summit continued to focus on the project’s sustainability and improving outcomes for youth, families of color, and BIPOC professionals.
The Leaders of Color (LoC) Project held its third LoC Summit with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) and a host of project members’ agencies. We launched the LoC Project in July of 2017. Since our inception, we have had over 50 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) members from both private and public agencies, as well as youth and family members who identify as having lived experience. The LoC Project is committed to addressing disparities that impact youth, families, and BIPOC professionals in all their different forms.
MAY 2023 SUMMIT OVERVIEW ATLANTA, GA
Overview:
BBI in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), hosted its second Leaders of Color Project Summit May 10 – 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. This group consists of 25 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) from across the country who are leaders of color from provider organizations, family and youth peer partners/advocates, and public oversight agencies.
The summit activities were built on the previous summit (April 2022) and the group’s ongoing work associated with its work plan. While Summit 2023 mainly concentrated on the BBI Leaders of Color Project sustainability initiative, there were several impactful presentations and discussions:
- ACRC and BBI are officially united under the same umbrella to better support providers and services to children, youth, and families;
- Insights from a grassroots community-based organization, Ending the Need for Group Care; and
- The Center for the Study of Social Policy’s (CSSP) UpEND initiative- which works to undo the carceral nature of the Child Welfare system.
In addition, summit activities produced ten specific project goals, which included BBI supporting its partnership with Social Current and the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, to provide a national Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Certification and to secure funding for both BBI Leaders of Color Project sustainability initiative and the 2024 summit.
Please stay tuned to learn more about the release of the upcoming concept paper from the Leaders of Color, “Successful Strategies Faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Who Are Leaders & Aspiring Leaders: Navigating the Challenges Associated with Working within a Predominantly White Organization” and the BBI Leaders of Color Summit 2024, which will be potentially hosted by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, in New York, NY or in conjunction with the ACRC Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ in May 2024.
APRIL 2022 SUMMIT OVERVIEW BALTIMORE, MD
Overview:
Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in partnership with Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), hosted a summit with the BBI Leaders of Color workgroup on April 27-29, 2022, in Baltimore, MD. This group of 22 leaders from across the United States is comprised of executive leadership from service providers and jurisdictional oversight agencies.
The summit was a culmination of effort and flowed from 2 previous virtual summits conducted over the course of the year 2021.
The Summit focused on three overarching themes:
- Cultural and Linguistic Competence (CLC) and Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) policies, procedures, standards, and practices that are intended to improve outcomes for youth and families
- AECF’s national effort to “End the Need for Group Care” Article
- The Center for the Study of Social Policy’s (CSSP) UpEND initiative – which works to undo the carceral nature of the Child Welfare system; visit https://upendmovement.org to learn more.
As a result of a highly interactive 2-days, the group emerged with a 2022 work plan as well as individual action steps that each leader will be taking back to their respective agencies for implementation.
While the challenges the group addressed are substantial, the spirit of the summit was one of positive and hopeful energy. It marked a real shift from talking about the problems to making plans for transformational action.
Recommendations:
- Ongoing support for members of the Leaders of Color community as they work to enact their action plans within their organizations and implement the 2022 work plan
- Incorporate members of the Leaders of Color community into the planning and delivery of future summits and potential technical assistance activities
- Explore opportunities to increase family and youth voice membership in the Leaders of Color community
- Continue to partner with AECF in their “Ending the Need for Group Care” initiative and CSSP in their UpEND initiative