Pictured above: Northside Learning Center group | Photo by: Ben Cleeton
The Leadership Classroom’s co-facilitator Hasan Stephens is both student and teacher.
First, he graduated from The Leadership Classroom (TLC) and then he helped lead it for close to a decade, before he returned as a student again.
“When I heard that the leader of TLC had returned to the classroom himself, I was inspired by his dedication to growth and the value of the monthly sessions,” said Jacob Gedetsis, a TLC graduate with the organization Write Out. “It’s like how Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep still take acting classes; there’s always more to learn.”
It’s this spirit of learning, unlearning, and relearning that has underpinned The Leadership Classroom’s success for the last 30 years.
Since its founding in 1994, The Leadership Classroom (TLC) has brought together residents or grassroots groups that are active in improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Through monthly training sessions with other Syracuse leaders, TLC teaches the practical skills that help make stronger, more effective neighborhood and grassroots leaders. At the end of the 10-month program, participants are eligible for a $5,000 Community Foundation grant to activate that gained knowledge.
Over the past 30 years, nearly 600 individuals have graduated from the training program and more than $305,000 in grants have been awarded towards the graduates’ community projects.
There’s the real skills that graduates learn and develop to run more effective and impactful organizations. This includes lessons on logic models, fundraising, grant application, data collection, and capacity building. These skills help organizations hone and expand their core missions.
TLC graduate Laira T Batundi immigrated to the United States from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo). Through his nonprofit organization, Bushenge Hunde USA-Canada (Bushenge), Batundi works to create safer interactions between law enforcement and the local refugee community. Bushenge holds community engagement training and partnership for both parties to learn de-escalation tactics.
During its time with TLC, Bushenge established a board of directors and developed an in-depth manual to use for its future Police Use-of-Force Continuum trainings.
“Participating in TLC was not only fun, but also crucial for the growth of my organization,” Batundi said. “Each class offered fresh insights and valuable resources. All of the facilitators were wonderful, from teaching us best practice and techniques for how to access and apply for grants to helping us develop our human resources skills.”
Batundi isn’t alone in citing the impact that TLC has had on the growth of his organization and their ability to carry out mission-driven work.
The 100 Black Men of Syracuse, a group of professional men who volunteer to improve the local community in the areas of mentoring, education, economic development and health, credits TLC with strengthening its group’s leadership team.
When the organization joined the TLC classroom in 2008, their Board of Directors had only just formed, after decades of impactful work in the community. At the time, the group admitted to being skeptical of the program’s time commitment, but after one session they knew that this was a place for their board to grow.
“We walked away with a wealth of information to help us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses as well as plan where we, as an organization, want to be,” said Vince Love, president of 100 Black Men’s local chapter at the time. 100 Black Men continues to serve Central New York.
But there’s also the connections and community building between the graduates themselves. Cohorts of community organizers come together to share their own strategies, struggles, and visions for a stronger Central New York. These visions are as diverse as CNY itself.
At the end of his time with TLC, Rise Above the Street’s Al-amin Muhammad said he couldn’t wait to continue these partnerships to continue to “save lives.” Chayna Short, founder of Women Overcoming Obstacles Together, said she “formed lifelong relationships with other grassroots organizations, laughed, learned and grew together.” And Write Out’s Jacob Gedetsis said he was “a better person, leader, and community member from being in that room.”
TLC co-facilitator and two-time graduate Hasan Stephens said, “The biggest thing I love about TLC is the union of organizations that normally would not have even known about each other. It bridges communities and organizations that are often doing the same type of work.”
Stephens has taken the lessons he has learned in TLC and applies them to his own organization. The Good Life Youth Foundation, founded in 2009, encourages successful and productive careers and life strategies among at-risk Syracuse youth ages 13-24.
“The most satisfying thing about TLC is watching the other organizations grow,” Stephens said.
At the end of every TLC cohort’s time, we hold a graduation to celebrate the achievements of the current TLC teams while also honoring those groups that came before them. Past participants show up to congratulate the newest members of an ever-growing alumni network.
We are hopeful for continued growth and collaboration for the next 30 years of the Leadership Classroom. To learn more about applying to join next year’s cohort, please see our website: cnycf.org/tlc
Design by Central New York Community Foundation
