We’ve developed an innovative 10 week, 3 hour/week community leadership program that supports individuals to unpack the systems and structures shaping a local issue and develop their agency to drive change. Each program is issue-focused, cohort-based, and rooted in a practice of inquiry —asking questions and learning from those experiencing and working on the issue today in our communities.

Each program is delivered in partnership with 40+ community partners. Members convene in curated spaces in cohort-wide sessions facilitated by expert DEI/racial/social justice facilitators as well as in small group with our partners for deep dialogue.

Who our program serves

Our cohorts are multi-racial, cross-class, and intergenerational - serving a diverse, equitable cross-section of the community, including: 40% Black, 21% Latine, 13% Asian, 3% Indigenous; 19% LGBTQ+; 52% from a household income per capita at or below $40,000. Since launching in 2020, we have now served nearly 100 members through 2 Housing program cohorts (Fall’20, Fall’21) and our Health Equity program (Spring’22)

🗨️ Testimonials / Reflections

• “One statement that stuck out to me was that health equity initiatives fail because they are focused on programs rather than systemic and structural change. After this module, I'm considering my own experiences with trust within medical systems and how those with power need to earn the trust of their patients.”
• “A running theme throughout this [program] has been proximity to the issues. Having first hand experience shapes not only the work but also the response and ways in which an individual tends to constraints and unpacks their personal experiences. No matter the role it is important and necessary to always ask questions to understand alignment with others who are surrounding you and to be able to prioritize and make decisions.”
• “Myself working for a major Massachusetts health plan, I have the ability to metaphorically pull levers internally to help influence where money is spent and which issues the company can promote visibility to…It’s as if it were a major domino effect where one person can make a change and influence the pieces that may follow suit…I believe any individual can hold a position of power.”
• **“**I'm extremely impressed by all of the young people that have gotten to this place in life so quickly. You have no idea of the impact your group has on those of my generation. Thank God I've lived long enough to see so many people, from so many different backgrounds, so many different cultures, come together and nothing but peace and harmony presides. It wasn't always like that. I thank you for allowing me to finally see it.”
• “I am still thinking nonstop about a lot of the topics discussed last night and the people I met. I'm realizing how sheltered I've been and can't wait to hear and learn so much more about this topic. I thought it was truly a great experience!”
• “I now have a better understanding of the inner workings on how various officials and groups collaborate in Boston”

⚙️ Operating Model

• 📒 15-week, 3 hours/week curriculum modeled after evidence-based frameworks
• 🌞 Select a diverse and equitable cohort (30-40 members)
• 🤝 Build relationships with community partners to co-design and lead 1-hour program ‘experiences’ (35+ partners per program)
• 🧡 Facilitate safe/brave spaces for ongoing dialogue, synthesis, and reflection
• 💪 Agile technology and operations capacity to deliver a first-of-its-kind personalized, cohort-based learning program

See one-pagers on our Housing or Health Equity programs for more details.

💸 Business Model

Our Earned Revenue Model