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Oakland-Empowering others highlights an understanding of leadership, but building a bench elevates the power of leadership development and succession.
As Senator Cory Booker stated, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it!”
Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) founded and created the Training Institute for Leadership Enrichment to develop, sustain and equip a rotation of qualified and skilled African American female leaders in corporate, non-profit, and political spaces.
Since 2015, TILE’s Dezie Woods Jones Public Policy Fellowship Program has trained and motivated cohorts between the ages of 25-40 to become thought leaders; subject matters experts, advocates, and innovators of public policies that positively impact their communities and are essential to BWOPA’s core issues – health, education, criminal justice & economic security.
"As one of the BWOPA founding members, it is with great honor to witness the amazing impact of the DWJ Fellowship program. It is crucial to serve as a conduit to the next generation and cultivate the successors and culture-keepers of BWOPA who will champion a new body of policy work spotlighting BWOPA’s core issues – Criminal Justice Reform, Health, Economic Security and Education," shares BWOPA State President and co-Founder, the Honorable Dezie Woods Jones.
Notable fellow alums include Lauren Babb, Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte; Dr. Kerby Lynch, researcher and reparations policy consultant; Germaine Davis, a job training and development advocate at Oakland Private Industry Council; and Tamisha Torres Walker, Antioch Mayor Pro Tem. The DWJ fellowship program cohort is co-led by DWJ Fellow alumni Danielle Motley Lewis, a social impact consultant and Khalil Ferguson, a law student and legislative consultant.
“Individuals who complete BWOPA/TILE's array of professional development programming like our Fellowship program, lead in public spaces and corporations and start innovative social businesses. In addition, we are Black women who support and mentor Black women to be experienced leaders, practitioners, and elected officers in any capacity and at any level,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA’s State Executive Director.
The Dezie Woods Jones Public Policy Fellowship Program is currently accepting applications for its Spring 2023 cohort and will host their first information session on February 22nd at 6:30 pm to provide additional insight on the program and its qualification and ahead of the upcoming February 28th application deadline. To register to attend that session, go to https://lnkd.in/gn7t_djr
To apply for the Fellowship, visit www.bwopatileleads.org. If you would like more information, you can contact State Director LaNiece Jones at staff@bwopa.org.
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