We Raise Foundation Awards New Emerging Leader Grant

We Raise Foundation recently awarded a $15,000 Emerging Leader Grant to Ms. Kahlida Lloyd, Mission Reconcile, New Orleans, La. Emerging Leader Grants are an investment in the development of leaders between the ages of 20-35 at Christian organizations who are leading new programs at the intersection of poverty, violence, and inequality.

Lloyd receives $15,000 over two years with $10,000 supporting the program and $5,000 supporting leadership development. This leadership development includes attendance at a Leadership Fundamentals conference through The Center for Creative Leadership; attendance at the Global Leadership Summit through satellite locations; and individualized leadership coaching. Lloyd also receives an invitation to attend the annual Emerging Leader Convening in Chicago, hosted and paid for by We Raise Foundation; free attendance for all We Raise webinars; and promotion and networking within the We Raise community.

Proposals for the Emerging Leader Grant Program are accepted year-round with grants awarded quarterly. The next deadline is November 30, 2018 with grants awarded in January 2019. For more information regarding grant requests, please visit the website at weraise.org/emergingleadergrants.

Leader Profile:
Ms. Kahlida Lloyd is an attorney currently serving as Minister of Congregational Engagement at First Grace United Methodist Church, New Orleans, La., and is the founder of Mission Reconcile. In her role at First Grace, she leads efforts to engage members, visitors, and friends in getting connected to ministries at the church and utilizing their gifts. Lloyd has also worked as a Family Law Staff Attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services Program, a nonprofit law firm in Washington, D.C.; an Adjunct Instructor at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Washington, D.C.; an advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; and staff attorney and project director for several federal grant programs.

A member of the Greater Washington Urban League Young Professional Network, Lloyd has served on the Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women’s Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association, and as Community Service and Outreach Co-chair of the Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. She is a member of the North Carolina, U.S. Virgin Islands, and District of Columbia bars. Kahlida is a believer, attorney, and teacher, but most importantly a reconciler. She knows the power of faith and its ability to create change, shift hearts, and bring truth.

Project Summary:
Mission Reconcile is a faith-based racial reconciliation nonprofit created to bring together predominantly one race/culture churches to talk about race, racism, and creating organic relationships through facilitated events. Mission Reconcile’s core project, “Path to Reconciliation,” invites churches to be courageous and have bold conversations on race and racism over three weeks. The program invites one race/culture churches to enter each other’s space in a three-part event and culminates with a facilitated event that emphasizes the three areas that bring people together: food, music, and good conversation. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in cultural awareness activities, engage in healing conversation on race and racism, and fellowship around multicultural food and live music. The success of this work starts with a conversation where hearts can change and lead to the action of creating reconcilers who are equity and racial justice conscious. Mission Reconcile also hosts Unity Prayer Action Breakfasts regularly where local clergy pray for racial reconciliation and are invited to learn more about partnering with Mission Reconcile.

About We Raise Foundation
We Raise Foundation identifies innovative ideas, people, and programs that raise consciousness, community leadership, and capital. Motivated by the belief that freedom is grace in action (Galatians 5:1a), We Raise provides grants and assistance with resource development to organizations that work at the intersection of poverty, violence, and inequality. We Raise supports Christian nonprofit organizations and emerging leaders and has a preference for funding solutions within the areas of education, workforce development, and criminal justice. To learn more, please visit weraise.org. You can also find We Raise on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.