The African American Leadership Institute (AALI): Addressing a critical gap for AustinCulture
The African American Leadership Institute (AALI) is a program strategically designed to address the following issues that are unique to Austin:
1) Black flight – per U.S. Census data, the Black population in Austin has declined consistently over the past 45 years, distinguishing Austin is the only large urban city where the Black population is decreasing as the overall population increases.
2) Employer retention – for years, major Central Texas employers have cited the issue of retention of Black professionals, stating that recruitment is not an issue, yet retaining Black talent continues as an unresolved challenge.
3) The Black community in Greater Austin has grown increasingly fragmented and distanced due to gentrification and urban sprawl, causing a lack of connectedness, distancing from access to infrastructure and services, and, ultimately, leading members of this community to seek other places to live and thrive, where a Black community presence is more prominent.
These three issues are symbiotic, and AALI addresses all three by creating a hub for connection of Black professionals and leaders – connecting them to each other and the rest of Greater Austin.
Further, in a community-led survey process to understand the Drivers Contributing to the Decline of the Black Population in Austin, TX, conducted in collaboration with Measure, an unprecedented survey of 375 Black community members across the Greater Austin area revealed that lack of belonging rivals affordability as a top reason why Black people leave the region. As AALI was intentionally designed to address this issue, we are proud to share that AALI 2021 end-of-course survey results confirmed that 100% of inaugural Fellows affirmed that AALI helped to increase their sense of connection to the Black community – and 94% felt increased connection to the overall Greater Austin community. Approximately one-third of the inaugural Fellows stated that they had contemplated leaving Austin, and AALI compelled them to remain in the area..
About our speaker:
BiNi has over 25 years working with and developing highly effective programs, systems and organizations to benefit the community — efforts which have been recognized and studied for best practices by agencies such as Texas State University, Stanford Graduate School of Business, SEDL, Texas Education Agency (TEA), Texas Dept of Transportation, US Dept of Education, and Colin and Alma Powell’s America’s Promise Alliance. She has over 25 years of business administration and financial management experience, for agencies ranging from 1 to 12,000 employees.
As CEO of 212 Catalysts, BiNi currently works with all types of agencies, large and small, to help them improve their mission-critical business operations and support the success of collaborative community development efforts across Texas and beyond. Recent examples include: the launch of the African American Leadership Institute (AALI); assisting with systems establishment or improvement for agencies such as Austin ISD, Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, People’s Community Clinic, African American Youth Harvest Foundation, and various start-ups; and support for collaborative initiatives such as the Black Men’s Health Clinic, Maternal Health Equity Collaborative, Prenatal Safe Zone network via St. David’s Foundation, TEA’s ADSY PEP summer learning initiative, and a new Restorative Justice initiative involving the Travis County District Attorney’s office and multiple community and national partners. BiNi has been a member of the National Career Pathways Network, helped launch the Austin Opportunity Youth Collaborative, and facilitated the Ready by 21 Coalition on behalf of Workforce Solutions – Capital Area Workforce Board – which included hosting the National Ready by 21 Conference in Austin in 2017. She is also spearheading the AALI Policy Work Group which is focused on identifying and uplifting solutions to maximize workforce productivity for families needing affordable childcare. Beyond these efforts, BiNi and the 212 Catalysts team have assisted nonprofit organizations to secure over $7 million since 2019, translating to over 100,000 families reached with vital services and resources.
BiNi has served as a guest speaker, mentor and host to students from the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at The University of Texas at Austin, UT McCombs School of Business, UT Project SERVE, UT CONNECT, Texas State University, Concordia University, K-12 students, and numerous internship and service learning programs. She has presented at dozens of regional, statewide and national conferences and summits over the last 16 years, including at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and US Dept of Education 21st CCLC conferences.
BiNi was a member of the University of Texas Women’s Volleyball team and is now also a mother living in amazement of her beautiful 7-year-old daughter.
Agenda:
6:50am - Coffee & Networking
7:10am - Breakfast Buffet
7:25am - Introductions & Announcements
7:50am - Speaker Introduction
8:20am - Q&A
8:30am - Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Directions and Parking
Breakfast Fees & Policy
