Reimagining Power: Why Equity-Centered Leadership Must Start Internally

At a time when calls for equity are being met with extreme pushback, too many organizations are still trying to drive systemic change without addressing the systems operating internally. But transformation in our communities can't happen if we don't first transform how we lead.

Equity-centered leadership isn't just a strategy for external impact; it's a commitment to reimagining power, beginning with ourselves and our organizations.

Leadership Culture Reflects Organizational Values

Every organization has a leadership culture, whether it's intentional or not. From how decisions are made to who gets promoted, these internal norms reflect what your organization truly values.

Equity-centered leadership asks us to pause and examine: Who holds power here? Whose voices are missing? Are we replicating the same hierarchies we claim to resist?

Leading with equity means building practices that value shared decision-making, honor lived experience, and create conditions where every team member has access to the growth opportunities and accommodations that align with their role and goals. It also means challenging urgency and top-down authority, especially in white-dominant or funder-driven spaces.

Start with Self, Then Scale

However, equity-centered leadership starts with self-awareness. It means reckoning with how systems of oppression and privilege have shaped us and being willing to unlearn the leadership models that no longer serve us. Leaders who do not engage in their own reflection and growth often unintentionally uphold harmful norms, even with the best intentions.

This personal work is foundational. From there, we can embed equity into our leadership practices, including how we give feedback, manage conflict, and support our teams. These day-to-day decisions shape organizational culture and influence whether our missions feel truly liberatory or merely aspirational.

Leadership Self-Reflection

If you're reading this and wondering where to begin, start with the questions below.

1. How do I define leadership? Write your definition of leadership. Does it center authority, service, collaboration, or something else?

2. How have my identities and lived experiences shaped how I lead? Consider race, gender, class, ability, sexuality, immigration status, etc.

3. Where might I be unintentionally reinforcing systems of harm or exclusion in my leadership? Think about who gets access to you, how decisions are made, or how you navigate conflict.

   
   

This self-reflection is just the start, but it will be powerful on your journey towards truly equitable and service-oriented leadership.

Operationalizing Equity Inside Your Organization

Pro Tip: Leadership is shared.

The myth of the lone visionary leader is outdated. Today's movements require spaces where power is distributed. Equity-centered organizations build and prioritize leadership and ownership at every level. They create systems for listening to staff, collaborators, and community members to move beyond performative inclusion to true co-creation.

This isn't just "nice to have." It's a business imperative, especially if you plan to scale. Research consistently shows that organizations with diverse, empowered leadership teams are more innovative and adaptive. So, this is where theory becomes practice. Equity-centered leadership means revisiting your organizational policies, structures, and ways of working. It might look like:

• Redesigning hiring practices to remove bias and increase transparency

• Building in time and budget for staff development, healing, and joy

• Making space for accountability conversations that are generative, not punitive

Start the conversation in your next team or board meeting with the following prompts:

• What do we mean when we say we are an "equity-centered" organization?

• How do our daily leadership practices reflect or contradict our values?

• Who holds decision-making power here, and how could we share it more equitably?

• What would it look like to center care and sustainability in how we lead?

Ultimately, it's about creating an organization where people feel seen, heard, and valued, and where your internal culture reflects the future you're fighting for.

Lead for the World or Community You're Building

If your organization's vision is to dismantle oppressive systems or build power, your leadership must reflect that vision. Equity is a way of being. It's how we show up in rooms, lead our teams, and choose to grow.

This means refusing to separate our values from our operations and leading from a place of integrity and imagination.