ABOUT us
The African American Leadership Forum operates as a think-and-do tank. We convert research-based thought on social issues into action-oriented agendas and solutions, which address the fundamental causes of racial injustice. Our solutions are aimed at impacting the areas of economic prosperity, generational wealth building, public safety, education, health, and environmental justice.
We want to end racial injustice in all its forms in Minnesota. To achieve that, we utilize data science research, discourse-driven gatherings, design innovation, and strategic community engagement. Issues for Black Minnesotans include some of the widest educational, employment, and health disparities in the nation. Efforts to address these challenges were historically driven by white-led organizations and institutions. Their approaches were largely ineffective with limited results.
The long-term outcome of our plan is to build a Black Agenda for Change: a sweeping platform of Black-centered solutions that will serve as a blueprint to combat racism and resolve structural inequities.
Founded in 2006, we sprouted from a dining room table at the home of our first co-chair, Gary Cunningham. Cunningham and a handful of his friends were having an open conversation about the problems facing their community. What were they going to do about it? What could they do about it, they wondered. That’s when the light bulb moment flickered, and they began to get excited about creating a Black-led, Black-created organization that could tackle the roots of issues impacting Black people.
Today, with a full-time staff, The Forum is stronger and more impactful than it has ever been, thriving in its commitment to advance racial equity statewide.
OUR MISSION
& Vision
Our mission is to create radical Black futures in Minnesota, where opportunity and justice are actualized.
We envision a prosperous future, vibrant with diverse identities, and echoing the heritage of Black communities. Inspired by Afrofuturism, we claim our ancestry and unleash our limitless potential by harnessing cultural knowledge and audacious solutions. As the architects of our future, we are actively building a world of racial equity by creating opportunities for Black communities.
OUR APPROACH
As a think-and-do tank, we convert research-based thought on social issues into action-oriented agenda and solutions, which address the fundamental causes of racial injustice.
Data Science
Research
Create Black-centered public policy and opinion research products to inform systems change efforts and influence policy shifts.
Discourse
Convening
Build and sustain relationships with allies and policymakers to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and advance a Black Agenda for Change.
Development
Capacity Building
Cultivate a pipeline of committed Black leaders ready to architect and mobilize social movements in Black communities across Minnesota.
Design
Innovation
Equip partners in established and emerging sectors with the information necessary to design and test innovative and sustainable solutions to systemic inequities.
Dissemination
Advocacy and Communication
Accelerate community action by sharing actionable information, insights, and resources to educate and empower communities to engage in advocacy efforts.
MEET OUR TEAM
The Black community is not a monolith, and neither is our staff.
We are a diverse leadership team that represents the vast lived experiences of Black communities.