Dream Retreat Kickoff 6/26/25
- Reckoning with the Past, Reimagining the Future
- Dr. Tara Jabbaar-Gyambrah’s report and presentation offered a reflective and forward-looking blueprint to evolve the KLS Oishei Fellowship for Leaders of Color.
- She grounded the conversation in racial equity as a movement, not a moment—rooted in justice, sustained by action.
- Historical Grounding
- Reviewed the evolution from early Community Conversations (2017–2019) to the renamed KLS Fellowship in honor of Karen Lee Spaulding.
- Recognized pivotal leadership moments and transitions, including Dr. Mark Scott’s appointment in 2022.
- Emergent Themes from Past Reflections
- Racial Leadership Gap
- Authentic Networking & Belonging
- Root Cause Analysis (not just bias, but systemic discrimination)
- Health and Wellness for leaders of color
- Systems Change through power building
- Power Building Framework
Outlined four aspects of power:- Building (ecosystem readiness)
- Exercising (organizing and strategy)
- Having (tangible outcomes)
- Expanding (scaling and sustainability)
- Future Forward Practices
- Embed identity-centered and values-based leadership development
- Co-design inclusive processes and structures
- Launch think tanks and mentorship programs to drive community solutions
- Develop a Fellowship alumni chapter and strengthen internal infrastructure
- Call to Action
- Close the leadership gap by rethinking recruitment/retention
- Expand culturally affirming spaces
- Align policy, history, and systems change efforts
- Shift power, not just representation
- Real-Time Reflections from the Zoom Session
- Dr. Tara shared a moving personal story on burnout and healing, anchoring the “Superwoman Syndrome” conversation.
- Fellows discussed how nonprofit systems often extract from BIPOC leaders without adequate lifelines.
- Urgent community challenges—such as the displacement crisis at Sylvia’s House—were elevated as a live call to action.
- Discussion on restructuring the Fellowship to meet various commitment levels and pathways for reconnection.
- A clear emphasis was placed on community-driven design and sustained support from the Foundation.