African American Leadership Forum

Research & Policy: In policy and research a major achievement was launching and having a full slate of the Policy Entrepreneur fellowship role on staff. This position cultivates the next generation of Black policy visionaries, leaders who speak from lived experience and move with strategy, precision, and boldness. These fellows were at the center of some of The Forum's most catalytic work: co-authoring publications now informing state proposals, leading testimony that challenged entrenched narratives, and shaping forums that birthed real-time legislative models. More than policy training, this fellowship is about shifting power, placing Black brilliance at the helm of systems redesign. It's how we ensure that public policy is not just about us, but authored by us.

Leadership Development: The Josie R. Johnson Leadership Academy has been a living tribute to Black legacy and a forge for our future. It cultivates powerful, values-driven Black leaders who carry the vision, skills, and strategic clarity to reimagine systems and lead with integrity. The Academy experienced unprecedented momentum with a 24% rise in applicants and the strongest interest from emerging leaders between ages 25-44. These changemakers, rooted in education, entrepreneurship, and public service, engaged in a liberatory leadership journey that centered cultural knowledge, policy fluency and collective care. JRJLA is more than a program, it's a movement-building force, shaping the next generation of Black architects, organizers, and decision-makers.