Recap: 2021 LGW Annual Meeting

June 24, 2021

During yesterday's 2021 LGW Annual Meeting sponsored by Bank of America, one of the key themes we covered is that as we move forward, our next challenge is to work together to rebuild our region back in a new way that benefits people from all social, cultural, and professional backgrounds. 

The past year has been a tremendous challenge for all leaders. But LGW members adapted, invented, overcame obstacles, and through it all stayed connected. We emerge as a more compassionate, resilient, generous, and impactful leadership community.

LGW Board Member Frank Williams ('18) Senior Vice President and Market Executive - Global Commercial Banking with Bank of America poignantly emphasized our shared role as facilitators and community change agents and officially welcomed the Class of 2021. 

LGW Community Partner of the Year Award presented by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

We honored Koube Ngaaje (’20) and the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) with the LGW Community Partner of the Year Award presented by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in recognition of outstanding leadership by an LGW member in our region’s non-profit sector. We celebrated DASH's extraordinary response in safeguarding survivors of domestic violence and their children, especially with the extra challenges the pandemic imposed.

LGW 2020-2021 Impact Snapshot

The infographic below highlights key metrics from 2020-2021 that demonstrate the growing reach of our mission. Because of you, LGW is a more impactful organization.

Impact + Purpose Spotlights: Leadership Moments that Defined the Year

While we could have spotlighted the work of hundreds of LGW leaders yesterday, we focused on the efforts of eight members whose leadership throughout the pandemic had a profound impact on our community. Here is a summary of our "Impact + Purpose Spotlights: Leadership Moments that Defined the Year." The members being spotlighted addressed the group, shared their observations on their journey through the pandemic and thoughts on how to best move forward. 

Howard Ross ('91)

Howard Ross of Udarta Consulting donated his time and talent as co-facilitator of LGW’s Anti-Racist Leadership Series. All the while, serving as the Signature Program facilitator for the Classes of ’20 and ’21. 650 cross-sector leaders have participated in LGW’s Anti-Racist leadership series to date. 93 of those participants have completed the 201 program to take their ally-ship from the individual to the systems level. Dozens of organizations have implemented innovative new measures to advance racial equity as a result of their learning journey in the LGW Anti-Racist Leadership Series.

Kathy Hollinger ('04)

Leading the COVID-19 response of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), Kathy Hollinger’s advocacy work with local lawmakers to protect restaurant owners earned her the COVID-19 Response Leader of the Year Award from the Washington Business Journal. Under Kathy's leadership, RAMW provided immense support for restaurant and foodservice industry operators, including seeking critical funds for small businesses, ensuring public trust through marketing efforts demonstrating gratitude and health and safety, and rethinking the organization's annual RAMMY Awards as a virtual recovery event. RAMW's Education Foundation, also under Kathy's guidance, created a restaurant employee relief fund and meal distribution effort -- Hook Hall Helps -- to support thousands of out-of-work employees as restaurants were forced to limit their staff for more than a year.

Rahsaan Bernard ('20) and Scott Kratz ('21)

Members Rahsaan Bernard and Scott Kratz collaborated with three area nonprofits to create THRIVE East of the River. The initiative provided residents cash payments of $5,500, weekly groceries, and monthly dry goods totaling more than $4,000,000 to help 500 families in Wards 7 and 8 survive the economic hardships of COVID-19. THRIVE East of the River became a historic national example as the largest privately funded unconditional cash transfer program ever attempted in the United States.

Marc Battle ('17) and David Gadis ('21)

The team at DC Water, with the leadership of LGW members David Gadis and Mark Battle, made sure water was available to every residential customer citywide during the pandemic, even those who were already disconnected due to non-payment. Their leadership became a national humanitarian example, inspiring other utility providers to follow suit to protect public health, and confront the racial inequities of the pandemic.

Lupi Quinteros-Grady ('20)

Lupi Quinteros-Grady and her team at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) have been at the forefront of finding solutions to the challenges facing our communities of color throughout the pandemic. LAYC serves a diverse population, 46% Latinx, 42% African American and 12% other, and during the pandemic they quickly created new systems/infrastructure to support families with food, emergency rental assistance, online learning, and mental health counseling. Since the start of the pandemic, LAYC has provided relief to over 6,000 youth and families. LAYC in partnership with CentroNia, CARECEN, Mary’s Center, Bread for the City, and Far Southeast Collaborative also joined forces to provide $1,000 rental assistance payments to DC residents as part of the DC Cares program, distributing $13 million dollars since June 2020.

Lisa Wise ('20)

Real-estate visionary Lisa Wise collaborated with LGW members to create a groundbreaking new model for housing justice that supports BIPOC first-time homebuyers. The FlockDC birdSEED fund was seeded with $215,000 of Lisa’s own money and was supported by a partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation. birdSEED made four $10,000 grants in March of 2021. The next round of grants will be reviewed in June of 2021 and $40,000 will be awarded. Fundraising continues and birdSEED is seeking to make quarterly grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. LGW members Fred Hill (’13), Koube Ngaaje ('20), Paola Moya ('20), Lupi Quinteros-Grady ('20), Tatiana Torres (’20), and Rahsaan Bernard ('20) are serving as community advisors on the project.

Let's Welcome the Class of 2021! 

We officially welcomed the Class of 2021 "Resilient 21." During our Closing Retreat last week at the DC Public Library, one class member said that for them, their experience represented “promise during the pandemic.” As LGW leaders, you represent the promise of our community.

The Class of 2021 officially begins its journey as part of the LGW membership, so if you are an active member please take a moment to send a member of the Class a kind word of congratulations. You can now find their contact information on our online member portal The Connector. 

New LGW Board Directors and Nominating Committee Members

Our work would not be possible without our exceptionally engaged and high-performing Board of Directors. For the list of LGW members beginning or completing terms please click here. 

Special thanks to Bank of America our LGW Annual Meeting Sponsor:

Tags: Impact   Infographic   leadership
Recap: 2021 LGW Annual Meeting