Articulated Insight – “News, Race and Culture in the Information Age”

Black Leadership Institute Series: Chicago Chapter NBMBAA

I settle into my seat, the low hum of conversation wrapping around me like a warm, familiar rhythm. All around, the room is alive with the presence of Black excellence in motion—Black men and women who have carved paths in boardrooms, built enterprises from vision, and shaped policies that ripple through our communities. Members of the National Black MBA Association, along with senior leaders from across Chicago’s business landscape, fill the space with a rare blend of gravitas and possibility.

We are here not just to listen, but to absorb to take in new insights that will challenge us, validate the truths we already know, and spark ideas we can carry back into our own spheres of influence. There’s an unspoken understanding in the air, an intuitive network that requires no formal introduction. This is a gathering where intellect meets purpose, where lived experience is as valuable as any data point, and where the future of our collective legacy is being imagined in real time.

A New Era of Black Excellence

The concept of Black excellence has always been more than a celebration of individual achievement it is a testament to resilience, community, and the unyielding pursuit of equity. At the recent fireside chat moderated by Isreal Greene, president of the San Francisco chapter of the NBMBAA, leaders from across sectors gathered to move the conversation beyond survival toward system redesign.

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Greene challenged the panel and audience with a powerful question: “What are the non-negotiable principles of Black excellence?” From there, the conversation unfolded into a vision not just for incremental change, but for complete transformation.

Panelists:

• Myettie Hamilton, CEO, Leadership Greater Chicago
• Malik Nevels,JD, Chief Operating Officer, TASC
• Ciere Boatright, Commissioner, Office of Development and Planning, City of Chicago
• Orlando Ashford, Interim CEO and President, NBMBAA

From Fixing to Reimagining

One of the strongest themes was the shift from simply repairing broken systems to redesigning them entirely. Ciere Boatright spoke candidly about the urgency of rethinking economic development in the Black community: with over 7,000 vacant lots in Chicago’s Black neighborhoods, depopulation has become both a challenge and an opportunity.

Rather than waiting for outside saviors, she argued, we must leverage public and private partnerships to rebuild—block by block—anchored in Black leadership, particularly from the network of Black MBAs who bring both expertise and vision.

“We don’t need a handout,” she said. “We need to right the wrongs through intentional investment—philanthropy, city, and state dollars targeted where they can create lasting equity.”

The Fatigue of Resilience

While resilience is a defining strength of the Black community, it also comes at a cost. The panel acknowledged collective fatigue from constantly navigating systemic barriers.

Greene emphasized the importance of clarity in our agenda. Black excellence must be rooted in purpose and shared priorities  otherwise; talent and resources get diluted.

Myettie Hamilton echoed this urgency: “Vision without execution is just an illusion.” We cannot stop at inspiration; we must move to tactical, measurable steps.

Redefining the Narrative

Malik Nevels reminded everyone that part of the struggle is narrative control. “When only a few benefit, we have a broken pipeline,” he said. Black excellence should be collective, not just individual spotlights.

The conversation turned to legacy—how do we shift from isolated success stories to collective Black stories? Ashford noted that the NBMBAA is actively gathering data to define how legacy is manifested in the community and to scale big ideas into large enterprises. That scaling is critical. “We have the talent,” Ashford stressed. “But talent without collaboration and execution doesn’t move the needle.”

The Next Generation: Leaders of Tomorrow

The NBMBAA’s Leaders of Tomorrow high school pipeline program was highlighted as an example of preparing the next wave of Black leaders. But the panel was clear mentorship alone isn’t enough.

We must also open the doors to capital access and true partnership. The question looms large: if Black communities can deposit into banks, why can’t they get equitable loans? While cities like Chicago are channeling millions into new business support, Commissioner Boatright emphasized the importance of repopulation over gentrification, ensuring investment stays rooted in community needs, is not a nice to have but a necessity for sustainability.

Scaling Our Own Ecosystems and Building New Spaces

The panelists were united on one critical point: the future of Black excellence depends on building self-sustaining Black economic ecosystems—interconnected networks where business, education, policy, and philanthropy operate in deliberate alignment. These ecosystems are not just about creating opportunity; they are about designing environments where opportunity is the default, not the exception.

To achieve this, the conversation must move beyond diagnosing problems. Moderator Isreal Greene framed it clearly: “We have a 90% solution, 10% problem ratio.” In other words, we already have the answers, the talent, and the resources; the task now is execution. Less time convincing others of the problem, more time putting strategies into motion that create tangible, lasting results.

But execution alone isn’t enough. The journey must also make space for reflection, restoration, and celebration recognizing that progress is not only measured in metrics and milestones, but in the preservation of joy, the honoring of heritage, and the building of collective pride.

When the conversation turned to the metaphor of “getting a seat at the table,” the room shifted. Ciere Boatright’s challenge was direct: “Get rid of the table, there are only so many seats. Build your own.” It was a call to stop seeking validation within the confines of existing power structures and to instead design entirely new systems, systems that reflect Black priorities, uphold Black values, and center the wealth of Black cultural capital.

This vision is more than symbolic. Building our own spaces means establishing decision-making bodies, investment vehicles, and cultural institutions that are anchored in the needs of our communities, yet powerful enough to influence the broader economy. It’s about creating infrastructure that can scale where Black innovation and ownership are not occasional victories, but the standard.

Legacy as Strategy

When Greene asked about legacy, the responses were personal yet strategic. Legacy is not just about what we leave behind, but about what we build that outlives us — institutions, enterprises, and pipelines of leaders who will continue the work.

For younger leaders, the advice was clear:

• Find mentors, sponsors, and coaches who will challenge and champion you.
• Amplify each other’s platforms to increase collective reach.
• Be fearless in designing a path that doesn’t yet exist.

The Road Ahead: A Collective Blueprint

The fireside chat closed on a unifying message—Black excellence is not about isolated brilliance, but about strategic, collaborative, and scalable action.

This requires:

1. Non-negotiable principles – clarity on values and priorities.
2. Narrative control – telling our own stories and shaping public perception.
3. Economic redesign – leveraging public-private partnerships to reclaim and rebuild communities.
4. Generational investment – from early pipeline programs to capital access for entrepreneurs.
5. Ecosystem building – aligning institutions, talent, and resources toward shared goals.

As Ashford noted, “We have enough talent, access, and force ourselves to work together.” The challenge—and opportunity—now lies in execution.

Black excellence has always been a testament to survival. The future calls for something greater: the deliberate rebuilding of systems so that survival is no longer the measure of success thriving is.

Pam McElvane, CEO, Author & Publisher, P&L Group

CEO | Master Coach | Board Governance Expert | Data Scientist | Strategist | Publisher

Pamela McElvane, MBA, MA, MCPC, is the CEO and founder of P&L Group, Ltd which has 3 key brands: Diversity MBA Media, 3I Research Institute & Diversity Learning Solutions, headquartered in Chicago, IL. Ms. McElvane has spent more than 25 years working with large and midsize companies providing insights and best practices, leadership and executive coaching, strategy, and organizational management.

Contact for public speaking, coaching and leadership training opportunities:

833-362-2100 ext. 700 (Main)

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