LeadBoston Class of ’23 have begun their journey towards inclusive leadership – Learn more about who they are!
Whether it’s having to scribble out “2022” for the first few weeks, or setting and breaking a resolution, the new year is often accompanied by several guarantees. One of these guarantees is YW Boston welcoming in a new class of its signature leadership program, LeadBoston. We recently assembled 43 mid-to-senior level Boston professionals who will come together over the next 11 months in the pursuit of becoming more inclusive leaders. Through LeadBoston, they will be equipped with tools and knowledge related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Ultimately, this experience will allow them to create meaningful change and to tackle inequities at their organizations and in the larger Boston community.
“You are all a diverse group, and that is not unintentional,” Samuel Ellison, who spearheads recruitment for LeadBoston as YW Boston’s Manager of Partnerships, said to our latest class of inclusive leaders.
Boston is comprised of a diverse array of professional industries, and LeadBoston represents that diversity through its members. This year, the LeadBoston Class of 2023 includes nonprofit (Project Bread), healthcare (Boston Children’s Hospital), corporate (State Street Corporation), education (Chelsea Public Schools), sports, (Boston Red Sox) and government (Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security), among many other industries. Professional diversity is not the only thing that LeadBoston strives for — 58% of this year’s class identify as people of color, and the program also strives to represent other marginalized identities.
On Wednesday, January 11th, the LeadBoston Class of 2023 met for the first time at Holland & Knight LLP in Downtown Boston for their orientation. Through facilitated discussion, the group was able to introduce themselves to one another, play bingo to get to know each other, learn about the logistics of the program, and build connections in small groups.
Working together throughout the year, participants will establish bonds, build community, and learn from each other. Beyond their peers, they will also be welcomed into a unique network of over 1,000 LeadBoston alumni.
YW Boston President and CEO Beth Chandler was in attendance and welcomed the class to the thriving LeadBoston network, of which Beth is a 2014 alum. “My wish for you is that you have a wonderful journey and that the journey doesn’t end for you in November,” Beth said.
In late January, the entire cohort and LeadBoston facilitators spent a weekend away together in Beverly, MA, to set the foundation for the year ahead. The weekend was spent reflecting on and discussing principles of leading towards equity, and exploring how identities shape lived experiences, leadership, and worldviews.
Welcome, LeadBoston Class of 2023! We can’t wait to see what you learn over the next few months, and how you advance equity and inclusion in your workplaces, Boston, and beyond. As the LeadBoston Class of 2023 progresses, we look forward to updating our community with their learnings and accomplishments.
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Become a part of YW Boston’s LeadBoston program and join a network of over 1,000 inclusive leaders in Boston. During this 11-month program, participants explore and learn how to address barriers to inclusion through facilitated dialogue, expert speakers, and peer learning. Through experiential activities, participants delve into the social, political, and socioeconomic realities of Boston and explore innovative solutions to inequity. Interested in learning more? Reach out to Rachael McCoy, Director of Leadership Services, at rachael@ywboston.org with any questions about the program.