NBA’s Black Women Leadership Experience: A Communal Space

by Kristy Vaughan

By Rev. Dr. Yolanda Norton, BWLE Program Consultant

NBA’s Black Women Leadership Experience: A Communal Space

Rev Dr Yolanda Norton

When I was younger I participated in a lot of teen leadership programs. My life was enriched by all of these experiences, especially ones that gave me access to parts of my city and the world that I would not otherwise have been able to retrieve on my own. Still, I was keenly aware then that none of those programs focused on my identity as a Black woman. Even though I was conscious of it, it was not until later in life that I could make sense of the impact of that reality on my existence. I learned to see the world beyond my immediate space and how to network, and I honed some skills in public speaking. I even learned to think strategically about how to actualize my dreams. However, as life progressed, I realized that I was still lacking significant mentoring that would help me develop tools to negotiate tenuous spaces as a Black woman creating professional pathways. Fortunately–or unfortunately–life has eventually afforded me experiences that cultivated such wisdom.

I do not consider myself unique in this narrative. I know many Black women who are more exceptional than I am and have had similar experiences of forging new space for themselves professionally and personally, without the benefit of certain wisdom. We all know that our experience is not new or unique, but it has only been in recent years that we have found communal space to tell our stories, acknowledge our accomplishments and heal from the wounds of the journey.

BWLE Resident Aliyah Perkins speaking to group at BWLE Orientation Dinner in July 2024.

This reality is what makes NBA’s Black Women’s Leadership Experience (BWLE) so unique and compelling. We have an initial cohort of three young women who have the benefit of participating in a program shaped by Black women for Black women, in hopes that we can help them find their voice as they make space for themselves in the world. In my work with BWLE, I love how excited Black women get when I talk to them about the program. Wherever I go, whether I am talking to my friends about work over dinner, or speaking with different leaders in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination or the larger Washington, D.C. area, there is nothing like the joy that Black women have when they realize that someone will have access to the kind of program they would have dreamed of for themselves as a young adult. It is exciting to bear witness to the chorus of “yeses” that have come from Black women who want to offer something to enrich the lives of young Black women, and who live in hope that they can make the road smoother for those who come behind them.

I was last in Washington, D.C. with the BWLE residents and their mentors in November 2024. We met as a group, and the residents also got one-on-one time with their mentors. The normalcy of Black women showing up for Black women was amazing. However, for me the most captivating moment was after we met with the residents. The mentors and I gathered with a small group of Black women–some from the Disciples denomination and some from other backgrounds. As we gathered in the evening, we all imagined ways that we could show up for the BWLE residents.

BWLE Program Consultant Rev. Dr. Yolanda Norton, mentor Rev. Cherisna Jean-Marie, NBA YALD Program Specialist Rev. Virzola Law, and mentors Rev. Chesla Nickelson and Rev. Dr. Christal Williams listening to presentation at the BWLE Orientation Dinner in July 2024.

“Do they need a place to go for Thanksgiving?”

“Maybe I can introduce them to this friend or that colleague?”

“I would love to have them over for Sunday dinner with my family.”

It was all testament to the ways that Black women show up to create and cultivate community. These moments remind me that we all have the capacity to forge communities of compassion that are intent on dismantling forces of injustice and inequality. In these moments I am also reminded that some of the most effective strategies of hope are not cultivated in the classroom or board rooms. Rather, we do our best work when we set our minds on showing up for one another.

Residents Kristen Valentine and Azsia Green listening to presentation at the BWLE Orientation Dinner in July 2024.

The Black Women’s Leadership Experience supports Black women, ages 23-30, in their spiritual and vocational pursuits. One of the ways the BWLE provides growth, support, and development for these young adult leaders is through its Residential Program. The Residential Program is a 24-month residential leadership development program providing a platform for participants to discover their path by supporting their identity formation, health and wellness and leadership development. The initial cohort began in July 2024 and residents are living and working in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.