The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
|
|
"Leadership is a Set of Actions, not a Title.": Meet Dr. Leah Austin, President and CEO of NBCDI
Dr. Leah Austin is an accomplished, multi-faceted, and visionary leader who has been working on behalf of Black children and their families for over two decades. Dr. Austin began her career as a public school teacher in southeast DC teaching kindergarten and first grade. She has enjoyed a dynamic career that has included teaching, grant-making, organizing, research, and evaluation. She is an educator, an advocate, and a futurist working to create conditions that allow people to imagine and plan a better future. Dr. Austin is also passionate about her own learning, she holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Fisk University, a Master’s degree in School Psychology from Howard University, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
What is your personal Story?
I was born in Washington, DC, and have lived in Michigan, Milano, and now Atlanta, GA. I am the third of four children. My mother is from Georgetown, Guyana, and my father is from Bowling Green, Kentucky. With Caribbean, Indian, and African American heritage, I am a big fan of soulful, spicy food and music! I am the mother of one child, a son who keeps me on my toes. I love yoga and thinking about the future.
What does inclusive leadership mean to you?
Inclusive leadership is understanding that leadership is a set of actions, not a title. Therefore, leveraging the expertise and experiences of many is more powerful than just one. People often talk about bringing people to the table or hearing their voices, but that can fall short when there isn’t diversity in who is convening the tables and doing the listening. Inclusive leadership should be about intentional actions to shift and share power.
What inspired you to pursue a career in serving and advocating for underrepresented communities? What is your mission?
I was called to this work as a child. I remember helping my aunt set up her third-grade classroom during summers in Kentucky. She was very serious about the importance of her profession. I admired her and would go on to become a Kindergarten teacher. I interned at the National Black Child Development Institute during that time. I became curious about policy impact on what happens or doesn’t happen in classrooms, particularly early childhood policy. I went on to work in the nonprofit sector and eventually spent most of my career in philanthropy. Throughout my career, I’ve been concerned with the needs of Black children and families. I worry that an inability to sustain transformational change is because of a lack of imagination or willingness to move beyond the status quo. My mission is to inspire people to imagine more for our children and families.
What is your greatest vision as President and CEO of the National Black Child Development Institute? Where do you see yourself in the years to come?
As the President & CEO of the National Black Child Development Institute, I spend every day thinking about how to ensure every Black child has what they need to experience a childhood that allows them to develop optimally and be on a trajectory of success and happiness in their lives. We care deeply about the well-being of our children and want them to have an early childhood that gives them what they need to develop to their fullest potential. NBCDI is the only national organization focused on the development of Black children from birth through 8 years old. Through our affiliate network and diverse partners, we engage in advocacy work for the more than 6 million Black children under ten years old living in this country and their families. We aim to mobilize communities and ignite movements on the strength of Black excellence, boldly advocating for equity and a just future for Black children and families. Our work is to increase and strengthen the capacity of advocates (ex. Policymakers, leaders, and researchers), make visible the assets and needs of Black children and families and center the experiences and expertise of Black people in the design of the future.
How could GlobalMindED further support the efforts you are a part of?
GlobalMindED is an incredible network and platform. We would love to continue to work together as you all think about early childhood education. We are also interested in being connected to leaders in your network who are aligning their DEI efforts internally and externally, and we are always interested in supporting young adults with hands-on experience.
|
|
Join us in Denver June 7-9 for GlobalMindED 2023 |
|
Early Bird Registration Open Now
To get a feel for the conference experience, please see this brief video by The PhD Project from the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference
- GlobalMindED June 2022 DEI conference
- Complete 2022 Program
- Inclusive Leader Awards Program 2022
- 800+ attendees
- 140 students from 41 universities/colleges, 58 received scholarships
- 300+ speakers from 65 universities/colleges and 47 businesses
- 130 universities/colleges represented
- Majority of panels featured at least one student
- 74 % diverse speakers
|
|
Social Justice and Equity: A constant evolution but we still haven’t hit the mark! |
|
 |
Social Justice and Equity: A Constant Evolution but we Still Haven’t Hit the Mark!, a Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable presentation |
|
|
|
Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System
Reiland Rabaka; Founder and Director, Center for African and African American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder,
Lana Hailemariam; Chief Executive Officer, StandUP, LLC,
Emily Shamsid-Deen; Principal, ESD Consulting,
Dr. Roberto Montoya; Chief Educational Equity Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education,
Keith Station; Deputy Chief of Staff—Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, City of Omaha Mayor’s Office
|
|
|
|
The GlobalMindED Inclusive Success NetworkTM had another banner year of growth, impact, and outcomes for First Generation, poverty-affected and minoritized students. Here are some of the highlights:
-
Return of in-person GlobalMindED conference with record attendance and the largest First Gen Leadership Class ever of 122 student leaders. See PhD Project brief video of the event.
-
Our fourth annual Inclusive Leader Awards recognized 15 DEIB leaders across sectors.
- Almost all our 100+ panels and sessions of 2022 featured a student.
-
Of the 300+ speakers, 73% were diverse leaders sharing their thoughts.
-
We held our first Industry Marketplace Career Exploration Arena at GlobalMindED 2022 with 40 companies, giving K-12, college students, educators, and leaders a way to learn about emerging fields and careers. Join us for the next one at GlobalMindED 2023.
-
Our first satellite event at Georgia Institute of Tech was livestreamed via the Atlanta PBS affiliate.
-
We became an official initiative of the Foundation for the Support the United Nations (FSUN) and will hold our first UN event on March 22, 2023.
- ·We served ten colleges with the GlobalMindED Success Collaborative connecting students at each HBCU, MSI, HIS and Tribal College with role models, mentors, internships, and jobs.
- We had partners/volunteers from Microsoft, Salesforce, Rubrik, HP, Stanford MBA and more.
-
We spoke at the White House Initiative for HBCUs with sponsor Hewlett Packard.
-
Our team, Board, Colorado Board and Executive Leadership Council are all majority diverse serving a majority diverse population of emerging leaders.
-
We continued to publish our daily newsletter and conduct monthly virtual Equity events, led by people of color with majority diverse panelists and students. These are the role models for our students.
- Our annual operating budget increased by 67% emerging COVID strong.
-
We doubled our staff from four to eight as we grow to scale our impact.
-
Our Young Professionals grew to 40 strong, with a ten-person leadership cabinet made up of, but not limited to, graduates of our programs who are now working professionals.
- Since 2015, we have successfully connected 1,200+ students to internships and jobs.
-
Our founder, Carol Carter, was recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal.
We are grateful for the support, inclusive leadership, and financial contributions of our community and sponsors who work tirelessly to open doors for the students we serve, the institutions who support them, and the businesses and non-profits who are committed to hiring a capable, diverse talent pipeline. We look forward to seeing all of you June 7-9 at our best event yet, GlobalMindED 2023 - Transforming Boundaries: Creating Systemic Access and Equity. The Inclusive Leaders Awards Dinner is June 7, followed by the conference June 8- 9 at the Denver Downtown Sheraton.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
