Black History Month Reflections: A Love Letter to Black Women Leaders
February 17, 2026
By Bianca Anderson | CEO ProInspire
Earlier this month, we launched the second cohort of Fellowship for Liberated Futures (FFLF). And with it, we named something the social sector has avoided for far too long. A system that relies on burnout, especially the burnout of Black women, is not a sustainable change strategy.
Our partnership with Fellowship for Liberated Futures is part of our response. It is our commitment to building leadership and organizational infrastructure that does not extract from people in the name of justice, but instead creates the conditions for people to thrive.
For too long, Black women have been asked to carry movements, institutions, and communities without being adequately supported, protected, or resourced. Too often, Black women are the last ones hired and the first fired. Too often, they are the ones speaking truth to power, pushing for accountability, and holding the line for equity inside systems that were never designed for their flourishing.
And still, they show up.
To my sisters who have left the workforce by choice. To those who were pushed out. To those who exited institutions built on extraction, dehumanization, microaggressions, and discrimination. I am deeply sorry for what you had to endure.
Black women are the backbone of social change. Our commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and transformation are not possible without you.
Many of us were taught that to create change, we must sacrifice ourselves. That we must work harder, do more, and go it alone. None of those stories are true. You do not have to sacrifice your wellness, your life, or your humanity to create social change.
You can care for yourself while making a meaningful contribution to the world. Both things can be true.
FFLF exists to make that truth real. It is a space designed to disrupt burnout, build authentic relationships, and help leaders on the front lines of social change to reconnect with themselves. It is a declaration that thriving is not selfish; creating conditions for thriving is strategic because it promotes organizational sustainability and leadership longevity. We are intentionally investing in spaces to support Black women leaders and practitioners, and sharing our platform in service of the community.
As we celebrate Black History Month, ProInspire is choosing to be loud about our love for Black women leaders.
“It is our honor to love you, serve you, and to protect the work you do in communities. I see you. I thank you. I celebrate you.”
The social sector will not flourish if Black women and Black communities do not have what they need to thrive. That is not a metaphor. It is a structural truth. And we are building accordingly.
Join ProInspire’s upcoming Black to the Future for an out-of-the-box session exploring the wisdom and vision of Black leaders, past and present, as we reimagine and shape the future we seek. We also invite you to step away from your inbox and participate in our bi-monthly Resilience Resets. Open to all!