Black Leadership
Activating Community
Please note: Applications will be accepted again in the Fall of 2022.
What is BLAC?
Who is eligible?
Participant Expectations & Benefits
What Is BLAC?
Black Leadership Activating Community is a 6-month leadership development program. The central belief is that the answers to the needs of the community lie within the members of that community. The goal of the program is to support the development and implementation of community-driven solutions through the empowerment of/investment in community members.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
The program is open to any individual who identifies as Black (a descendant of the stolen people of Africa) and is interested/dedicated to addressing the systemic issues negatively impacting the Black community of Fresno and the Central Valley.
PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS
Participants will be expected to attend 6 half day sessions, once per month. These will be held on Saturdays. Commitment and participation is crucial to the successful completion, and only one absence will be permitted throughout the course of the program. Over the course of the six months, participants will also be developing a plan to address a particular community need. This will be part of the requirements for graduation. Readings will also be assigned to prepare participants for each session’s topic/lecture/discussion.
PROGRAM BENEFITS:
- Networking with other Black community leaders and power holders in Fresno and the Central Valley
- Opportunity for learning and development; resume building
- Relationship building potentially leading to employment and other opportunities
- Support to gather resources to address needs in the community
- Strengthening leadership skills and understanding your specific leadership type
- Understanding the ways that political systems work and being trained in how to navigate political systems and work with policy makers