Black Principals Network

The Surge Institute is the home of the Black Principals Network (BPN)

Launched by Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, the Black Principals Network was designed to curate space for black principals from across the country in pursuit of community, professional growth, and collective liberation. Since the program’s original launch in 2021, more than 350 principals have joined the online platform, participating in shared learning and community building. As the brainchild of Schusterman’s Education Grantmaking team Heather Harding, Senior Director, and Cheryl Thompson, Director, the hope since inception has been that BPN would find a home with an aligned organization.

Mission:

The Black Principals Network is dedicated to the community, restoration, professional development, and liberation of Black principals across the country. The overarching goal of BPN is to co-create a community of Black principals in pursuit of the career-bolstering and self-sustaining practices that are often not prioritized in this impactful yet demanding role.

Vision:

BPN envisions a nation where the brilliance, well-being, and success of Black principals are prioritized and nourished. For Black principals to successfully lead, educate, and inspire the communities they serve, there must be an active resistance against the professional burnout, isolation, trauma, and repression commonly experienced within this role. Black principals need a safe, nutritive space to connect with and learn alongside peers both near and far. Through individual programming focused on self-discovery, sustainability, and radical self-care combined with collective programming that centers on problem-solving, access to high-quality resources, and critical reflection, BPN will help further equip Black principals in their roles as leaders and educators, and add to their well-roundedness as human beings.