OUR MISSION
The African American Leadership Institute (AALI) is designed to enhance civic awareness and leadership opportunities to make an innovative community impact on Central Texas.
Launched in January 2021, our mission is to build a stronger Black Austin community by equipping exceptional leaders to live up to their moral responsibility to seek to make life better for everyone in our city, state, and the world.
AALI participants have opportunities to make connections to affect long-term action required to create equity, opportunity and a higher quality of life for all of Austin’s citizens.
OUR COHORT
AALI’s annual Fellowship Cohort targets exceptional leaders (fellows) who engage in intensive community building and “deep dives” into multiple issue areas with a lens toward the Black community in Central Texas. Objectives for every Cohort session and event are to inform, connect and activate!
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Expose Fellows to the history and culture of Austin's Black community. Generate data to better understand issues of Black flight and employee retention in Central Texas
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Identify emerging Black leaders and expose them to other community leaders and professional, civic, and social engagement opportunities
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Engage Fellows in class projects focusing on policy/systems change, hands-on community engagement, and AALI program sustainability and expansion
OUR ALLIES
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Karen LaShelle
Executive Director - Austin Together
It’s so rewarding to see that the original ideas of what AALI could be has come true.
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Mayor Steve Adler
Former Mayor - Austin
AALI is an excellent solution to act as a point of connection.
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Tam Hawkins
CEO - Greater Austin Black Chamber
The value that AALI will bring to African Americans and the community is unmeasurable.
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Congressman Lloyd Doggett
Texas’s 35th Congressional District
AALI is a valuable contribution to our community.
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Dr. Colette Burnette
Former President - HT
AALI makes me so happy. Celebrating black excellence fills my soul.
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Robert Dye
Social Venture Partners
AALI has succeeded and is ready to move from a startup incubator to a full organization.
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Stephen Straus
Managing Dir, KUNG FU.AI
AALI can systematically improve the opportunity disparities that Black Austinites face.
OUR NETWORK
AALI’s network is comprised of Fellows, Alumni, Sponsors and Ally Partners. Our public facing events offer opportunities for the broader community to engage in all-inclusive settings beyond the annual Fellowship Cohort.
“Networking is not about just connecting people. It's about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.”
Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors for their generous support of our work!
