Emerging Leaders & Mentorship
Emerging Leaders & Mentorship (ELM) is a program for early career professionals that focuses on culturally relevant Black women's leadership, professional development, and mentoring. ELM is a 9-month cohort-based mentoring program for entrepreneurs and small NPOs providing coaching, workshops, and networking to expand leadership and fundraising/development skills to cultivate resilience personally, professionally, and for communities they serve.
Applications for the ELM 2025 Cohort will open Fall 2024.
Bekah Marshall
@ECOSAVVYBEK | WWW.ECOSAVVYBEK.COM
Experienced Trained Environmental Scientist & Certified Environmental Health Professional equipping and empowering professionals, scholars and stakeholders to collaborate for sustainable environmental & water solutions.
Valeasia Walker
@URBANDESIGNOUTREACH | URBANDESIGNOUTREACH.COM
I am the descendant of educators, artists, housekeepers, sharecroppers and engineers. Because of them, I am a spirit who chases the mystery of design in the world recognizing its influences in everyday living.
GIA BESS
@SEEDSOFPARADISE.JA | @MINDYOURBREATHCOUNSELING
I am a mental health therapist who also runs a nonprofit in Jamaica, West Indies called Seeds of Paradise. I help the organization to achieve its mission to spread awareness on the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, community building and agricultural entrepreneurship.
JENNIFER JOHNSON
ARTIST
A native Chicagoan and Artist with a passion for nature and people.
Ivori Schley
HORTICULTURIST, FOOD JUSTICE LIBERATOR
AG Major, Horticulturist, Food Justice Liberator, Naturalist Chlorophyll confidant.
Eposi Litumbe
@EPLLESEED｜ WWW.MAYFLOWERTHESERIES.COM
I am a multi-hyphenate currently based in Harlem, New York. I was born in Cameroon, raised in Atlanta, GA, spent the last several years in San Diego, CA and currently in New York pursuing work in Film & TV production.
Stephanie Simmons
@EPLLESEED ｜ WWW.MAYFLOWERTHESERIES.COM
I am the founding owner/operator of PolyCulture Production at Gaia Gardens, a certified organic vegetable farm that aims to facilitate meaningful, culturally relevant connections to land for black and indigenous people.
Amina Robinson
@AMINALUV
As Founder of The LightBeam Foundation, a social initiative to expand the equality of life of underserved and functionally diverse children. She recently launched The Brain Farmacy, a branch that curates Sensory/ Therapeutic Green Spaces along with Nature Based Products and Services that support healthy brain function.
Taffany Hyatt
@THEELEMENTALGARDNER
An agricultural trailblazer with a passion for the creative arts. Taffany continues to find innovative, symbiotic ways to work with nature by partnering with schools, churches and the community; where she helps provide fresh, organic produce.
Nicole Jackson
N HER NATURE, LLC.
From experience, Nicole knows the healing and transformational benefits of nature and wants to create opportunities for Black women to better access their inner strength to focus on healing, thriving, and making more room for their purpose.
Kimmie Gordon
BROWN FACES GREEN SPACES
Founder and Director of Brown Faces Green Spaces: bringing culture to nature and history to the outdoors by providing eco-education and opportunities for outdoor recreation and sports for our youth, families, and seniors of color in urban neighborhoods across Northwest Indiana.
Isioma Odum
THE AFRO TREK TRIBE
A social justice warrior encouraging those in the African diaspora to get outdoors and join healing in nature hikes.
DeBorah Bellony
WHO I AM FOUNDATION
About: As an author, astrologer and coach, I motivate myself and other magnetic, melanin-aware light beacons understand their life path and cycles to make better choices & become better conscious co-creators of the life they deserve.
Ashley Rouse
PROJECT LEARNING GARDEN AND
PROJECT GIVING GARDENSLocal food advocate and farm-to-school leader for a little over 10 years. She currently oversees Project Learning Garden and the Project Giving Gardens program.
Raina Turner-Greenlea
WHO I AM FOUNDATION
About: As an author, astrologer and coach, I motivate myself and other magnetic, melanin-aware light beacons understand their life path and cycles to make better choices & become better conscious co-creators of the life they deserve.
Andrea Blanton
FOOD EARTH BIRTH
Andrea runs FOOD EARTH BIRTH influenced by southeastern seasonality, community vibes and divine whispers to assist in bringing forth new life via birth work, tea offerings and herbs.
Alexis Vidot
ECO FOR THE PEOPLE
My name is Alexis, which translates to defender of the people and I am determined to contribute to liberating my people and the planet through planting! I am a mother and a FAMU grad on a mission to heal, inspire and create in harmony with Nature!
Meet Our Program Cohorts
Other Leadership Programs
Interested? Sign up for ELM Program!
Three Pillars Strong
We’ve designed culturally relevant programs around our foundational pillars: Leadership, SoulCare SelfCare, and Advocacy. Each program allows for and encourages education through spending time in nature, story sharing, and creating experiences that restore, renew, and reconnect us with our ancestry and spiritual wellbeing.
Find out more about the programs aligned with each Pillar and how to get involved.