We’ve always wanted The Equity Lab to be more than just an organization; our dream has been to create a network of action and support that touches every corner of this country and branches out across the world.

In the Nexus Fellowship, each city we visit as a cohort is purposefully chosen as both the backdrop for our workshops, as well as places where we could work with organizers, visionaries, and educators on the ground to learn from their work and deepen our collective practices around equity. Each city holds stories about resilience, reimagination, and creativity that have allowed their people not just to survive, but thrive.

When we initially sat down to write this piece, we were contemplating how to explore just what has been lost in the post-#MeToo years. We discussed the force and fury of the male backlash to the #MeToo movement, the actions that powerful men took to insulate themselves against accusation and professional harm. We talked about the ways that the legislature has been used as the arm of those powerful men to double down on control and compliance from women’s bodies. And then, we started talking about a law that made its way through the North Carolina state legislature.

The Equity Lab today released the findings of an unprecedented research project that gives voice to the challenges and opportunities of leaders of color — in their own words — as they navigate the funding world.

We hear it all the time: “Children are the future.” But how often do we really let kids lead the way in building a more equitable, just future?

Last year, the Equity Lab launched the inaugural cohort of Seeding Disruption Remix (SDX), a Washington, DC-based youth organizing fellowship. Over the course of the school year, we bring together high school students from across the DC area to encourage them in their interests as they become life-long disruptors for racial and social justice.

Talking about race is challenging. Talking about race is arduous. Talking about race requires bravery. Talking about race necessitates preparation. And we start each of these hard conversations with an invitation to each person. We invite them to examine how they are showing up with love.

At The Equity Lab, we are actively working to both support our community as they grapple with current challenges and to anticipate and prepare for future needs.

“At The Equity Lab, we talk every day about combating white supremacy culture and systems of oppression, and when I do that work I do it from a place of love. I am not inadvertently replicating systems of oppression by trying to come in with a narrative of dominance, scarcity, or a tale of (intentionally or unintentionally) perpetuating oppression. I'm coming from a place of love, growth, and openness.”