With the guidance of six brave and bold leaders, Santa Clara University launched the Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) program in February, 2021 with an inaugural cohort of 28 executives from various walks of life and operational expertise, all ready to serve on public and private corporate boards.
Three years later, 22 of our inaugural cohort members serve on corporate boards and we have graduated more than 300 BCBR Alumni from 11 Cohorts, who collectively now serve in more than 130 corporate directorships. That is something to reflect upon and celebrate!
We are humbled and proud that BCBR has become the leading concentration of Black executive board-qualified leadership talent. But, there is still a lot of work to do and with fierce headwinds to DEI, the stakes are higher than ever. Courage is essential in the fight of our lives; we must proceed with greater love than fear.
Join our beloved community for the BCBR Gala on Friday, September 27, 2024 as we celebrate the contributions of Barry Lawson Williams to building more diverse and therefore better performing corporate boards.
Barry recently released his 100 Black Voices Video Archive project, which captures the voices of 100 of the world’s leading Black corporate directors. Three key themes were identified by these voices as the most critical actions for continuing our fight for inclusion in the boardroom: Persistence, Collaboration, and Enhanced Focus. We invite you to view Barry’s Project Summary (https://lnkd.in/g8Q_Sjrs).
At the Gala, we will reflect on these themes as we deepen our stake in the ground, calling for further collaboration and strengthening our focus on the business case for DEI in corporate governance.
Here’s how you can support:
Become a Gala Sponsor, host table, or purchase a ticket to the BCBR Gala and invite others in your network to join us. Seats are limited and going quickly, so act now!
Make a contribution to the Barry Lawson Williams BCBR Endowment BCBR Program Fund and encourage others to do the same.
Seek sponsorship from your employer to sponsor the BCBR Gala.
You can find all the information you need on our Gala website (https://lnkd.in/gbcJryFX) and you may contact us with any questions at [email protected].
We look forward to an evening of joy and celebration as we honor the life and legacy of Barry Lawson Williams and dance together beneath the stars in support of #BCBRForever!
#corporategovernance #boarddiversity #DEI #BCBR #courage #community
We're so grateful for Caitlin, Walter and the entire Brentwood Industries, Inc. team!