02.22.19
Equitable Communities
News

Fellows on the move and a 10-year journey

At A Glance is a bi-weekly news recap highlighting WKKF grantees, investments, communities and partnerships.

Stacey Ledbetter describes herself as “Black and Blue” and is using her experience to help train and teach the next generation of police officers in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She understands both the distrust of law enforcement in the Black community and the disconnects between law enforcement and their communities. Stacey developed a culture awareness experience as part of her local Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation effort. Together they are working to bring about transformational, sustainable change and address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. Learn more here.

Class Two has arrived! Along with Center for Creative Leadership, we announced the Class Two fellows of the WKKF Community Leadership Network. This fellowship program brings together 80 dynamic and diverse local leaders from across the United States and sovereign tribes to connect, grow and lead transformational change toward a more equitable society. We invite you to follow the fellows’ journey at wkkfcln.org and track the buzz online using the hashtag #WKKFCLN. Read a selection of recent stories about Class Two Fellows: In Tennessee, Mississippi, New Orleans and New Mexico, among others.

Empowering women with opportunities to build and run their own business is exactly what Crianza, a business accelerator program from CNM Ingenuity, had done. To date, they have helped 79 women take business ideas and turn them into realities. CNM Ingenuity is a WKKF grantee that promotes and fosters welfare, prosperity and economic development in New Mexico. As part of this new program, women like Norma and Erika Estrada are equipped with the business skills to own and operate their own businesses, all while employing more women! #PayItForward, ladies!

In need of some weekend reading? Check out the latest edition of The Change Agent, a publication by the Communications Network. “Guest edited by Michele Norris, founder of The Race Card Project and Executive Director of The Bridge at The Aspen Institute, this issue aims to spark conversations about racism and challenge entrenched narratives and practices.” Our very own President and CEO La June Montgomery Tabron is featured, sharing insights from a decade of WKKF’s work to address racism and transform communities. It’s a journey, as she describes—and one we’re committed to. It’s all part of #HowWeHeal.