What Is a Terrifying Time Is Also a Call to Lead Together
BY SHARHONDA BOSSIER
We are living through tough moments that are deeply painful and profoundly urgent.
Across the country, communities and young people of color are facing escalating harm. Immigration raids are increasing, families are being separated, journalists are being silenced, and these are not isolated events. They reflect a broader pattern shaped by systems that have long sought to instill fear, limit opportunity, and silence dissent.
It is important to name this clearly and loudly: these are not normal conditions. Fear is not an unintended byproduct of what is happening; it is a tool, and many leaders are feeling its weight in their work, their communities, and their daily decisions.
Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) is listening closely to our members. We are paying close attention to what leaders are navigating and what this moment is demanding of them, and we are asking what it means to show up in an honest, grounded, and useful way when it matters most.
Leadership in this moment is already happening
History reminds us that periods of racialized harm and authoritarian overreach are not new. What has shifted those moments has never been a single solution or institution; it has been collective leadership among leaders who organized, protected one another, told the truth, and built toward something beyond survival.
That leadership is already happening across the EdLoC Network. Every day, members support impacted families, advocate within complex systems, and make difficult decisions with limited resources and little recognition. Much of this work happens out of the spotlight. It is steady and deeply rooted in community.
This is what leadership looks like in real time and why this moment calls for leadership to be unmistakably visible, unbreakably connected, and unequivocally supported.
Creating space for what comes next
In response, EdLoC continues to create intentional opportunities for members to come together. We invite you to join us.
EdLoC Spring Roadshow – Atlanta (Open to members and guests)
Thursday, March 26 | 6:00–8:30 PM ET | The Starling Atlanta Midtown
Join members from across the region for an evening of conversation and connection. The program will explore:
What leaders across the region are navigating right now
The Innovation for Learning Fund and how EdLoC is investing in bold ideas
An early look at the 2026 National Convening
Following the conversation, we will transition into a networking reception. We encourage you to invite a values- aligned guest to join us.
In the Moment: A Virtual Leadership Gathering (Member exclusive)
Tuesday, March 31 | 9:00–10:00 AM PT, 12:00–1:00 PM ET
This virtual conversation will bring members together to reflect on this moment, exchange resources, and begin identifying ways the Network can respond collectively. The session will feature a conversation with Brittany Packnett Cunningham, activist, educator, writer, social impact strategist, and a member of the extended EdLoC family, alongside EdLoC CEO Sharhonda Bossier. This will be followed by an opportunity for members to share insights and strategies from across the Network.
2026 National Convening: There’s No Place Like EdLoc (Open to members and guests invited by members)
Wednesday, April 29 - Friday, May 1, 2026 | JW Marriott Los Angeles | 900 W Olympic Blvd
Designed for senior leaders of color who are focused on dismantling systemic barriers faced by young people and communities of color in pursuit of academic and economic success
Bring leaders across race, sector, and geography together in spaces designed for connection, strategy, and collective action
Members can engage deeply with one another, reflect on what this moment requires, and strengthen how we lead together moving forward.
Moving forward with clarity and collective power
When we look back on this moment, we will all reflect on how we choose to lead in times of uncertainty.
Young people of color are watching how leaders respond right now. They deserve leadership that tells the truth, protects community, and remains committed to a more just and humane future, even when the path forward is not fully clear.
EdLoC will continue to create space for connection, support one another, and build toward the future our communities deserve.
We are grateful to be in this work together.