From mutual aid to national resilience

Founded on mutual aid

Roy and Atyia Martin founded Next Leadership Development as a mutual aid model, helping Black people overcome obstacles like work attire, transportation, or technology.

501(c)(3) status

Next Leadership Development Corporation received its 501(c)(3) designation, committing to programs that help Black people transition from survival to thriving.

Boston Resilience Initiative

We began Resilience Checks for Black residents of Boston: enhanced wellness checks that offered resources and support along with a check on well-being.

COVID-19 response

• We made more than 7,000 Resilience Calls to Black people in Boston, focusing on elders and families.
• We launched the Boston Resilience Builder Summer Program with All Aces, Inc. and the Boston Housing Authority.
• We served as backbone organization for the Black Boston COVID-19 Coalition (2020–2021).

Black City Hall and the Boston Resilience Corps

• We launched Black City Hall.
• We received FEMA approval for the Boston Resilience Corps, the only non-campus Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Boston.
• In the fall, we opened the Community Communication Center to take calls, texts, emails, and web chats through one platform.

The Black Resilience Network

We launched a national network of Black organizations, towns, and communities.

The White House

The Black Resilience Network held its inaugural event at the White House on climate resilience in Black communities. Twenty-four members shared their experiences with more than 50 federal representatives.

National disaster response

The BRN Operations Center partnered with community-based organizations on tornado response in Mississippi and recovery in the Lincoln Heights community of Weed, California (Siskiyou County), and on Chicago's West Side.

Brookings convening

More than 20 network members gathered at the Brookings Institution for collective care and to prepare improvement recommendations for FEMA headquarters.

Rooted in Resilience, Asheville

One hundred Black residents of Asheville, North Carolina, and their supporters gathered at the YMI Cultural Center, the first stop in the Rooted in Resilience series. The City of Asheville issued a proclamation honoring the gathering. See the event →

NextRise Summer

Almost 50 young people applied for 14 spots in a free program where participants are paid to build their own purpose-driven organizations. About NextRise Summer →

Rooted in Resilience at Brookings

Community Hub leaders from Chicago; St. Louis; Amory and Monroe County, Mississippi; Lumberton and Robeson County, North Carolina; and Asheville, North Carolina met for a working session, and Next Leadership Development co-hosted a public forum with the Center for Community Uplift at Brookings on community-led disaster preparedness, response, and recovery for Black people and places. The public forum →