TESTIMONIALS
“The New Jersey Black Women’s Collective Leadership Institute is the missing link I needed to help me break through the invisible barrier. As a small business owner, the program curriculum covered the nuances of business, politics, and finances, which helped me to develop my leadership skills at a higher level. Participating in this program exposed me to the knowledge and people that I can learn from. With the women in the cohort, I have forged a sisterhood and network that I can lean on and add value to as we continue to strive to break down barriers.”
Candice Jackson Long, MBA
CEO, CJL Consulting Group
"The NJBWC program has provided me with invaluable knowledge, sisterhood, and networking opportunities. Topics such as emotional intelligence and strategic positioning for Black women in the workplace in other to be considered for succession planning and C-suite roles are insights that every woman should have access to, and I plan to apply them throughout my career. I would like to express my special gratitude to Assemblywoman Tennille R. McCoy and Taraun M. Tice McKnight for their leadership and positive impact on the lives of black women in New Jersey through this program. I hope that the program model can be extended to benefit women across America."
Risikat Bursari, PhD
“Uplifting, insightful, motivational, and powerful.”
Darcell Q. Medley-Stokes, MPA
Healthcare Specialist, New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
"I am committed to being a lifelong learner. This leadership program arrived at a juncture where I was eager for fresh insights, connections with exceptional women, and the broadening of my network. The camaraderie and resources within this cohort have provided me with a wealth of practical wisdom that will serve as a compass in both my professional and personal endeavors."
Rachel Dortch, M.S.Ed.
Rachel Dortch, M.S.Ed.
Corporate & Emerging Career Recruiter
“The day you stop living is the day you transition from this world. While living, you are learning every day. Being accepted into the inaugural Leadership Institute cohort of the NJ Black Women’s Collective has been such a major blessing for me personally and professionally. I quickly realized that I was simply existing, and not living a fulfilling and impactful life. The sessions have been filled with resources, information, and powerful insights that I immediately put into place in several areas of my life. The Institute has reignited my passions and desires to finish my graduate degree, persevere in politics, and mentor young Black women. I gained a sisterhood with the other ladies in this fellowship, and am truly grateful for the relationships, camaraderie, and support built over the past several weeks. I look forward to seeing how NJBWC will continue to sow into and strengthen Black women in varying sectors across the Garden State.”
Danielle M. Jones
Councilwoman, Borough of Eatontown
“Like Shirley (Chisolm) said - UNBOUGHT and UNBOSSED.”
Gabriel Douglas
Senior Program Development Specialist, City of Trenton
"I entered the NJBWC Leadership Institute seeking to cultivate my leadership skills. I exit this amazing experience a changed woman - both personally and professionally. The breadth of knowledge and authentic sisterhood gained was priceless."
Jacqueline Heads
Designer
"This experience has been incredibly enlightening, revealing so much about myself and providing me with a supportive network of sisters who embrace my vulnerability and allow me to be authentically me. Their guidance empowered me to negotiate a contract for a speaking engagement at a rate four times higher than my usual fee, as they instilled in me the confidence to advocate for my true worth. Reflecting on my journey, I am deeply moved by how these connections have opened my eyes to my own value."
Brianna Armstead
Commissioner, Linden Board of Education
“The New Jersey Black Women's Collective Leadership Institute: Where professional development meets empowerment. Here, Black women find the knowledge to lead, the support to represent, and the sisterhood to thrive. In a world where we often work ten times harder and receive a fraction of the recognition, this institute is our beacon of acknowledgment and affirmation.”
Shamara Gatling-Davila
Business Development Manager, Workforce Development Board of Middlesex County