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CREATING A PIPELINE OF BLACK & MINORITY LEADERS

BLACK LEADERSHIP

+ LEGACIES

Developing Black and minority emerging professionals for leadership roles, and guiding them to build legacies and generational wealth, through leadership development, board governance training, legacy wealth building, and purpose cultivation. In addition to leadership training and issue consciousness, BLL provides connections to C-Suite, high level leaders, government officials, and successful entrepreneurs, as well as board seat opportunities.

  IN THE COMMUNITY  

Carolene Mays Receives Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award

During last month’s Champions of Diversity award ceremony, Carolene Mays, the founder of Black Leadership + Legacies, Inc., was recognized with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award for her unending efforts to mentor Black leadership in Central Indiana.

Carolene Mays received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award

ABOUT US

Black Leadership + Legacies is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

MISSION

Empowering Black and minority leaders to create legacies, build wealth, and make a positive difference in organizations, communities, and beyond.

VISION

A world where Black and minority leaders thrive, creating legacies and generational wealth, fostering inclusivity, and driving positive change.

VALUES

Empowerment: Empowering Black and minority individuals for leadership and generational success.


  • Legacy: Building legacies that benefit current and future generations.
  • Inclusivity: Fostering diverse and inclusive communities.
  • Trust: Affirming belief in the reliability, ability, and talent of Black individuals.
  • Excellence: Pursuing excellence in all endeavors.
  • Support: Helping others to boost productivity and achieve goals.

OUR COMMITMENT

Black Leadership + Legacies is committed to:

Developing Black and minority Leaders

Develop a cohort of capable Black and minority emerging leaders for organizational leadership and board governance positions by refining and broadening their knowledge and leadership skills through curriculum, interactions and connections with key leaders, engagement, and community service opportunities.

Creating New Platforms

Create a platform of Black and minority leaders prepared to excel and expand in their employment or entrepreneurial ventures, and in community service. This platform will be available for organizations and businesses to select and advance capable Black leaders for employment, service, and governance.

Connecting The Community

Connect a network of motivated, talented individuals who are interested in career growth, community service, generational wealth, and cultural awareness and navigation.

LEADERSHIP COHORT

Black Leadership + Legacies provides a 9 month leadership cohort. Program includes development in areas of leadership, board governance, legacy wealth building, and purpose. In addition, critical issues affecting Blacks and disadvantaged communities, to be addressed, include: 

 

  • Education 
  • Economic Empowerment 
  • Health 
  • Penal/Justice System and Public Safety 
  • Political Power
Inaugural BLL Cohort and Carolene at Indiana IoT Lab with John Wechsler, Founder of Indiana IoT Lab, Launch Fishers, and spokenote

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Successful Candidates will meet the following criteria:

Identify as Black, African American, or Person of Color

Be age 27 or older

Be currently employed

Have a track record of community involvement

Have a minimum of three years proven work experience in a full-time position in for-profit business, not-for-profit organization, government sector, or entrepreneurial venture  

Carolene Mays

Creator & Facilitator

Carolene Mays has a successful and diverse career background in corporate business, small business, elected office, government agency leadership, utility regulation, and television. She also has extensive board governance experience. With her vast knowledge and experience, she founded two enterprises in 2021.


Selected as one of 15 powerful Black women, from across the US by The Highland Project, Carolene is serving in the first cohort of Highland Leaders (2022 – 2023). They are being supported as they build their legacy visions and sustaining solutions that create generational wealth, as well as advance educational equity, economic outcomes, well-being, and political advocacy for Black communities.


"I have been fortunate to have been at the tables of leadership for business, government, non-profit, and international organizations. Too often the sentiment from other leaders is that they cannot find Black Americans for leadership positions. As a Black woman this was frustrating to hear so often. There is a lot of great Black talent available. After working behind the scenes for years to help people get into leadership positions, I decided to create a platform with leadership, governance, and multi-generational wealth training."

LEADERSHIP

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Carolene Mays, Chairman, Founder & President, Black Leadership + Legacies, Inc. and Inspiring Leadership, LLC


Jada Benedict, Government Consultant, Deloitte 


A. Bruceil Mays, Retired Educator


Shannon Williams-Shegog, Executive Vice President, The Mind Trust

ANNOUNCEMENT

Organizational Updates

Carolene Mays is delighted to announce the hiring of Lori Satterfield as Director of Programs and Leslie Bowles as Development Director

ANNOUNCEMENT

New Leadership Cohorts

Carolene Mays is proud to announce that Black Leadership + Legacies has launched two high level, talented cohorts, for leadership and legacy building training, in 2024. The Executive Women of Color Cohort sponsored and named by Women's Fund of Central Indiana has 21 members, and BLL Professional Women Cohort sponsored by The Indianapolis Foundation and Ice Miller LLP has 18 members.

2024 Executive Women of Color Cohort


Kenya Anderson, Senior Director of Client Services, Indiana Youth Group, Inc.


Ebony Barney, MPH, MSW, LSW, Vice President of National Service/AmeriCorps Program Director, The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc.


Flomichelle Battles, Interim Executive Director, Trans Solutions Research and Resource Center


Rhonda L. Bayless, Executive Director, Centers of Wellness for Urban Women, Inc.


Rev. Lynel Brooks - Beaty, Mdiv., BCC, Spiritual Care Manager of Adult Academic Health Center, Indiana University


Health Vicki L. Bonds, MS, M.Ed., Senior Director, Impact Sector Support, United Way of Central Indiana


Marquisha Bridgeman, MS, Vice President, Community & Business Banking Partnerships, Merchants Bank of Indiana


Leticia Campbell, PMP, SP, CSM, MDS Advisor II, Portfolio & Project, Midcontinent Independent System Operator


Jordan Coleman, MPA, Founder & CEO, A Seat at the Table, Inc.


Ranissa E. Dycus, JD, Associate General Counsel, American Senior Communities


Ebony C. Funches, MPH, Workforce Director, Marion County Public Health Department


Nichelle M. Hayes, MLIS, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Hayes Consulting


Tracey Jackson, MHRM, Vice President of Workforce Development & Community Impact, 16 Tech Community Corporation


Arvetta L. Jideonwo, MHA, CFRE, Executive Director, CREA Foundation and Head of Social Impact, CREA, LLC


Lydia Johnson, Vice President of Operations, Indy Reads


Brittany Person, Associate Director - Embedded Systems, Eli Lilly and Company


Alina Pizarro, MSW, Director of Community Engagement, Girl Coalition of Indiana


Emily Sellers, MPA, Vice President of Project Implementation & Support, Ivy Tech Community College


Elana K. Thompson, MA, Executive Director, Arts for Lawrence


Le-Angela Thompson-Burgess, Chief Operating Officer, Simon Youth Foundation


Regina L. Warren, MBA, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and Major, US Army Officer

2024 BLL Professional Women Cohort


Mariah Barber, Director, Safety & Security. Pacers Sports & Entertainment      


Jeronna N. Bolden, MBA, MOL, Ed.D, Director of Programs, Dress for Success, Indianapolis  

   

Iasia Cheers. Director, Community Engagement, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful   


Rosetta Clay, MS, Ed.D, Program Facilitator, Ross Initiative in Sports for Equity


Erin F. Coleman, MS, Human Resources Business Partner Senior, Capital Group     


Kelly Comer, MBA, Manager of Major Gifts, United Way of Central Indiana


Monica Davis, Senior Analyst, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission


Tara Evans, Ph.D, Ruffaloni, Vice President, Strategic Accounts


Dionne Griffiths, MA, MS, Not-for-Profit Sustainability Officer, Central Indiana Community Foundation

 

DeeAndria Hampton, MA, MPA, Mdiv, Grants Program Director, Coburn Place Safe Haven


Jennifer Henderson, Marketing & Communications Specialist, Ice Miller LLP


Precious Jones, MS, Owner, Power P Bounce & Co.


Michelle Daniel Jones, Owner, Constructing Our Future


Jodie Little, Consultant, Portals, LLC


Elise Antoinette Smith, M.S.Ed, Director, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Division of Student Affairs, Indiana University Indianapolis


Linky M. Ugeh, Editorial Director, Minority Business Review


Nakeisha Washington, CEO & Founder, Nyla Nova STEMversity


Dr. Idalia T. Wilmoth, Ph.D, Scholar & Professor, Indiana University Indianapolis, School of Education & Africana Studies

Sponsored by Women's Fund of Central Indiana

2023 BLL Cohort


CECILY JOHNSON CRUZ, MSW Consultant for Stakeholder Engagement, Taylor Advising

CRYSTAL GIVENS, MBA President & CEO, Starfish Initiative

MEREDITH GRAHAM, MBA Engagement and Experience Manager, Crossover Health

DAMITA JEFFERSON, MSW Director of Reentry/Family Liberation Coordinator, VOICES Corp.

CAMIKE JONES, MA Executive Editor,Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper & Indiana Minority Business Magazine

DR. JILLIAN HARRISON-JONES Director of Choral Music, Witherspoon Presbyterian Church

JENNIFER M. MCCLOUD, MBA Director of Chancellor’s Operations, Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis

LATRECE MURDOCK Owner, Simply Elegant Pastries

ASHANTI ORDONE, JD Owner & CEO, Gifted & Talented Academy

DANIELLE NEAL PRICE, JD Corporate Counsel, Heritage Construction & Materials

LORI SATTERFIELD, MBA Social Impact Manager, Roche

STEPHANIE SIMMONS, MS Executive Director of Human Resources, Ivy Tech Community College

AMBER M. WILLIAMS, MA Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Belonging, Ivy Tech Community College

Inaugural Cohort 2022

Meaghan Banks, Pacers Sports & Entertainment


Tracy Black, Comcast


Karen Bush, GBKB Consulting


Porche Chisley, The Mind Trust


Denzil (Val) Crooke, Incentus Global


SaRita Hughes, City of Indianapolis CIty-County Council


Rev Dr. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones, Witherspoon Presbyterian Church


Latrece Murdock, Simply Elegant Pastries


Lauren Peterson, The Mind Trust


Ericka Sanders, You! Yes You Project


Kisha Tandy, Indiana State Museum

TESTIMONIALS

“I have found the Black Leadership + Legacies program to be a rich resource to the African-American community. This program provides cohort members direct access to the thought leaders, decision-makers, and change-agents of the Indianapolis Metropolitan area, allowing us one-on-one dialogue and collaboration with them on how to make positive, lasting impact on our community.”

Latrece Murdock

2022 BLL Cohort

"I have the honor and privilege to be a part of the Black Leaders & Legacies Group. This has truly been an inspiring experience for me while building new relationships with some amazing Leaders within our group. 


This program was created and designed by Carolene Mays. She is an amazing Leader in our community and the State of Indiana. She has put together an excellent Leadership program / curriculum for Black Leaders to enhance their Leadership skills, but more importantly to gain visibility with other Business Leaders and to sit on the Boards of major organizations. I've been truly amazed by this program and how it's impacted me to be more of an engaged Leader in our Community.  


I'm truly grateful to be a part of the Black Leaders & Legacies Program and love serving alongside my fellow Cohorts in the program. I know I speak for the entire group when I say we would highly recommend this program to Black Leaders wanting to build their Leadership skills and establish new relationships."


Tracy Black

2022 BLL Cohort

“I am honored to have been chosen to participate in the inaugural Black Leadership + Legacies cohort. To be in an environment to learn from and alongside some of the most thought provoking leaders in our community has been invaluable for me. I appreciate the specific lens on Black leaders as there aren’t many avenues for us to explore our identity in this way.”


Ericka P. Sanders

2022 BLL Cohort

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