Black Women Leaders Reflect On Community, Service, And Vision For 2026 

For decades, black women’s leadership has been defined not only by ambition and excellence but also by their responsibility to the community. Often carrying the weight of collective progress, black women leaders have long understood leadership as something deeper than the status quo. It’s an opportunity to serve. As 2026 approaches, it’s necessary to reflect on how community, care, service, and forward-looking vision are shaping the way black women lead.

The underlying factor that drives community and service in leadership is care and an understanding of its underscoring part in building a company. Keisha Gaddis, a leadership and emotional intelligence expert and the founder of Dual Impact Leadership,  states that her upbringing shaped her leadership philosophy.

“I lead with emotional intelligence not as a soft value, but as a strategic one,” she stated, “When leaders understand how stress, pressure, and emotional labor impact decision-making and communication, they lead more clearly, more sustainably, and with greater impact.”

It’s important to center steadiness lead in ways that reduce burnout, create psychological safety, and allow people and systems to thrive without constant emotional depletion.

“It’s important to prioritize building company cultures where care and performance are not in conflict,” states Gaddis.

Service-driven leadership can be approached through a myriad of ways, from working without pay to grounding your company culture in community. 

Kahshanna Evans, an advisor on the New York State Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center, states that advisory activities are customarily unpaid, but it’s deeply aligned with her purpose-driven life work. 

“It’s no small feat to have joined this unique initiative,” she said, “As a survivor of life-changing violence and feral policing I experienced and witnessed as a child, and over time, it’s my way to acknowledge my sadly estranged late sibling and the sisterhood torn irreparably by violence, and the little Black girls we once were.

Kendra Edwards, the Managing Director of Marketing at Terri Eagle Group, states that service isn’t a box she checks as a leader but a base she builds on. “My approach to leadership was shaped long before my career began,” she said. “I was raised in a family of public servants, where giving back wasn’t optional; it was the why behind any success we had. That foundation instilled in me a deep commitment to service-driven leadership and a belief that the most impactful brands are built with community at their core. “

Lastly, Alicia White, the founder of Project Petals, an environmental nonprofit, and Blue SKYie, a sustainable innovation company, talks about how leadership for her is grounded in service and responsibility to the communities she serves.

“Community directs every work decision, from designing solutions to shifting who holds power in the process,” White stated. “Service for me shows up as action, building alongside people rather than for them, and ensuring that progress is shared and not exclusive.”

In addition to serving black women leaders, recognize that the only way to build a long-lasting brand is by building community. 

Asya Watkins, the Founder and CEO of Women of Project Management, states that community was the bridge between having ambition and believing she could act on it. 

“Earlier in my career, often as the only woman and a woman of color in the room, I longed for a supportive space that embraced my unique path and perspective,” she said. “When I couldn’t find it, I created it. That led me to launch Women of Project Management in 2012, creating space, visibility, and opportunity for women and women of color in the project management profession.”

Similarly, Kahshanna Evans highlights the phrase, intentional collective care, as one that shifted her perspective, expectations, and experience in real time in terms of defining community. “Being together isn’t enough if togetherness lacks the intention to be proactive as an alternative to being reactive,” she stated. “The term intentional collective care signals engagement and building meaningful connections that are heart-centered.”

In a time when many women face burnout and uncertainty, leadership rooted in community helps us care for one another while pursuing ambition. 

Although the black women have thoughtfully reflected on how they lead with community and service at the forefront, they also recognise there’s more work to be done. 

Kendra Edwards states that in 2026, community and service in leadership will continue to guide how she builds. 

“I consistently ask myself: Who does this decision serve? Does it build trust? Does it strengthen the community we’re a part of?” she explained. 

“My goal for the year ahead is simple and deeply personal: to continue guiding founders and brands while actively supporting and investing in the creative communities that raised me,” Edwards said. 

Similarly, Alicia White’s 2026 vision is to continue innovating toward collective progress, environmental equity, and impact. “My plan is to continue creating systems that are not just innovative but also inclusive,” she said.