Preparing the Next Generation to Lead, Love and Leave a Legacy

Vision:

The Apex Leadership Initiative will be a robust six-month leadership program that begins in January 2025 and ends in late June. The primary target audience will be ethnic minority leaders aged 21 to 40. The program's content will heavily focus on five core leadership values based on the importance of altruism and ethical service to our city. It will climax with a citywide service project hosted by the Apex cohort. It will also provide next-generation thought leaders with mentorship from well-experienced iconic leaders in our community.

Core Value Focuses:

  • Self Leadership - Developing the art of self-leadership by learning how to approach and appreciate self-care to serve others more effectively; this pillar will teach the importance of balance and boundaries to keep the leader healthy

  • Family Leadership - Understanding the importance of leading in our communities without aborting the call to leadership and service to our families; charity always begins at home

  • Community Leadership - Learning practical techniques and strategies on how to become more engaged and involved in serving our community through our God-given gifts, talents, resources, and influence to make Knoxville a stronger, more vibrant family through networks, sacrifice, and service

  • Cross-Cultural Leadership - Learning the importance of intentionally developing cross-cultural relationships by being a student of other cultures, races, and ethnicities and becoming a bridge and voice of reconciliation for all people

  • Global Leadership - Learning how to grow and expand one’s leadership influence to have an even broader impact outside of our city and teaching leaders that our gifts can take us far above and beyond our local community but have the ability to expand and make a global impact

Needs Assessment:

The Apex Leadership Initiative was created to train, mentor, and retain Knoxville's best and brightest young, emerging, black and brown leaders. This program is geared toward young adults ages 21-40. To ensure a hunger for leadership development, The Change Center, in collaboration with several other nonprofits, hosted a leadership conference as a prototype to assess the need for the initiative. This demographic

of promising leaders was allowed to sit under the teaching of influential, iconic city leaders as they discussed their journeys and shared nuggets of wisdom and practical insight. Community giants within the city were honored as generations were gathered to witness living legacies passing the torch.

On the first day of the weekend, August 23, there was a program and dinner where local community leaders were recognized, their works and leadership highlighted, and their legacy celebrated among those who will come behind them and walk in their very footsteps. Many of the young adults present have looked up to these well-known figures but have never had the opportunity to meet them in person or converse with them. This program granted them the space to do so.

On the second day of the weekend, August 24, the APEX Leadership Initiative hosted its first conference of 140 participants. Five different speakers spoke on the Initiative's core values. Governor Bill Haslam, former Governor of Tennessee, spoke on all things leadership. Carmeisha Arnold, a family and marriage therapist and the wife of Pastor Daryl Arnold, spoke on Self and Family Leadership. Phyllis Nichols, the former CEO of Knoxville Area Urban League, spoke on Cross-Cultural Leadership. Joel Smith, retired Pilot and Army Officer, spoke on Global Leadership. Hallerin Hill, a radio and TV personality, spoke on Community Leadership. All participants were enamored with the entire panel of speakers. Again, those in attendance could gain insight into the different stages, dimensions, and avenues of leaders and leadership. They could ask questions to some of the greatest leadership experts in the city. Haslam College of Business, KUB, and Overcoming Believers Church partnered with us to help make the event successful.

On the last day of the weekend, August 25, a Small Business Expo offered each small business owner a chance to sell their products and gain business exposure for potential future customers. We had eighteen vendors who took advantage of this event. The weekend was highly fruitful and created a desire for the participants to want more. We found that 100% of the 140 participants found this program impactful and wanted to see it continue.

Needs Assessment Discovery:

We have learned that there is a great need for the APEX Leadership Initiative for young, Black, and Brown leaders who plan to stay in the city of Knoxville. These young adults need and desire to be mentored and trained by former and present leaders with a history of valuable knowledge, decades of experience, and unchallenged deeds. We believe that our city will be better as we help the next generation of thought leaders discover, develop, and deploy their gifts, skills, and talents.