Our three-year
strategy for the
change to come.
This is Surge.
WHY
The United States has been and continues to be built on the backs of strong and persevering people of color. Black people. Brown people. Asian American people. Pacific Islander people. Indigenous people. Yet this country has a major equity problem. A white supremacy problem. A horrifying and, at times, deadly racism problem.
It only changes when the face of leadership changes. Not just who the presidents and governors are, and not just who the school leaders are. This is about re-examining the place from which our business leaders, our non-profit leaders, and our major power players operate. Balance can only come if transformative voices are leading the charge.
We are the preeminent pipeline addressing the dearth of leadership of color at the decision-making tables. Surge educates, empowers and energizes leaders of color who will create transformative change in the communities they serve. To educate and develop leaders of color who create transformative change for young people, their families and our broader communities. OUR MISSION OUR VISION Since 2015, Surge has developed, united and elevated 231 nationwide leaders of color in education through our signature fellowship programs.
Unparalled Success
ELEVATE
They know themselves better.
of alumni are aware of their strengths and development areas
95%
DEVELOP
They understand the landscape and their role in the movement better.
of alums feel able to articulate how their experiences connect to larger race and class equity issues
96%
UNITE
They are connected to one another.
of alumni agree that they made genuine personal connections with people who they care about and whose success is important to them
97%
See more of the powerful data from the first 5 years of Surge in our comprehensive executive summary.
Surge, by definition, is a powerful movement forward or upward. Our organization was always meant to expand in scope, influence, and impact. The next phase of that journey begins now.
We will continue to serve, connect and elevate leaders of color unapologetically providing the support, inspiration and understanding needed create a better future. We will also do a great many things that are new, stepping into uncharted waters and extending the reach of our work.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
See the three big rocks of the The Surge Ahead. IGNITE
FUEL
TRANSFORM
BIG ROCKS OVERVIEW
ELEVATE
They know themselves better.
of alumni are aware of their strengths and development areas
95%
DEVELOP
They understand the landscape and their role in the movement better.
of alums feel able to articulate how their experiences connect to larger race and class equity issues
96%
UNITE
They are connected to one another.
of alumni agree that they made genuine personal connections with people who they care about and whose success is important to them
97%
See more of the powerful data from the first 5 years of Surge in our comprehensive executive summary.
A spark of brilliance exists throughout this beautifully colorful country. A vibrant array of Black, Indigenous, Latino/Latinx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander agents of change surging in the wings. We are ready for not just a seat at the table, but for an opportunity to tear down that table and build a bigger and better one, with more seats and a more culturally inclusive design at its center.
The Surge Ahead includes developing, elevating, and uniting more than 5,000 of these leaders by 2030, catalyzing their growth and providing the tools and connection necessary for them to wreck the nonsense they see and create the space we need.I G N I T E
RISING
I G N I T E
The IGNITE tenet of this strategy centers around the leaders who come into the Surge space seeking connection and growth. This isn’t the beginning of a movement. It’s the expansion of one that has already been burning brightly for more than five years. Leaders of color in Illinois, California, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, Washington D.C., and many more places are connected to one another through this movement. They are education leaders, lawyers, executives, government workers, artists, non-profit leaders, data minds, tech developers, and entrepreneurs. They are all Surge.
The Surge ahead will fuel the expanding vision and efforts of those leaders, binding them tighter as a collective of changemakers, growing their knowledge of what it takes to influence change, and providing the ongoing support it takes to move mountains. FUEL
What do we mean by FUEL?
FUEL
LEADERS
The FUEL tenet centers around the agents of change already serving the Surge movement and seeking to grow in their influence while remaining deeply connected to the mission to build a better system for our youth and communities
Our systems are not broken. Our education systems, our policing systems, our economic
systems, our social structures... they are not broken. They just aren’t actually ours. Upon close examination, one can see that these systems were designed to benefit specific groups of specific socio-economic classes and of specific races. And, by and large, that shows up when we simply look at the wealth, power, and education gaps. Our eyes tell the story. But change is gonna come.
The Surge ahead will influence systemic change, connecting with forward-thinking leaders and allies to build collective efforts that shift policies and practices in institutions and organizations to create equitable spaces for all.TRANSFORM
What do we mean by TRANSFORM?
TRANSFORM
THE SYSTEM The TRANSFORM tenet is all about the system. How can we create tangible positive change for the better? This tenet is truly what makes Surge a movement
NATIONAL PROGRAMS • ONLINE COURSES • THOUGHT LEADERSHIP • NEW PARTNERSHIPS ACTION
The work of the Surge movement has always been deeply connected to a belief that truly diverse and transformative leadership will tear away racism and oppressive policies in the education system to build a freer future for our young people and communities.
Through these three tenets of IGNITE, FUEL and TRANSFORM, we will launch new programs, establish new connections and serve new populations in order to see our mission through. Now, choose to be a part of it. You won’t want to miss what’s a head. So here’s your next step. Read the full executive summary here You’ve seen a glimpse of what’s ahead for the Surge movement.
