About Us
The Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute is a progressive nonprofit that supports voter education, advocacy, and leadership development. We are working toward a Texas as good as it’s promise.
The Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute (BJLI) is the only Texas statewide, Black-led organization focused on empowering Black women through community-based leadership in action through community empowerment and education. Through networking, policy training, and community education, BJLI strengthens the current generation of Black women’s leadership, recruits and prepares the next generation, and demonstrates our power by encouraging participation in the advocacy and the electoral processes.
BJLI is the brainchild of seasoned community leaders Jane Hamilton and Lorraine Birabil, two Texans who are using their deep experience in community organizing, voter protection efforts, and public policy to create lasting change in Texas.
Our team seeks to amplify the voices of Black women who have consistently been the foundation of progress but rarely have a seat at the table to make the decisions that will affect them and the community at large. Therefore in 2018, they founded the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute with other powerful Black women community leaders to empower communities by increasing the diversity of leadership which will in turn, build fair, compassionate, healthy, prosperous and safe communities.
Our Team
Making an Impact in Texas that COUNTS
Democracy works best when all participants are informed of their rights and can equally access them. Our voter education strategy includes layered communication to ensure voters know when, where and how to vote.
Our strategy meets people where they are. This allows community leaders to persuasively proceed from protest to policy, and hold their elected and appointed leadership accountable.
BJLI works holistically and side by side with Black community members to address the root causes of health and wealth disparities through community issue education and participation in the policy-making process.
With BJLI’s support network and mentor matching, Black women leverage the experience and wisdom of their colleagues as they push for a more empowered community.
A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good.
– Hon. Barbara Jordan
Leadership Diversity in Action
We mentor, train, support, and uplift Black communities.
Our Mission
To increase the diversity of leadership by training, mentoring, supporting and empowering Black communities.
Our Vision
Through a diversity of leadership, the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute (BJLI) seeks to build fair, compassionate, healthy, prosperous and safe communities.
Our Purpose
Emphasizing a combination of networking, policy training and community education, BJLI strengthens the current generation of Black women leaders while recruiting and preparing the next generation. BJLI demonstrates the power of diversity and inclusion by encouraging and equipping leaders to participate in the advocacy and governing processes.
Ready to make a lasting impact? Be a changemaker and contribute today!
Click the button below to make a donation to the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute and fuel our mission. Together, let’s build a stronger, more vibrant community. Thank you for your support!