EMERGE ACTION FUND

In 2023 Emerge Action Fund (EAF - formerly WLE) hosted its 3rd annual signature program, Leaders Emerge Gathers, which was the 2nd in-person program in Las Vegas, NV with 21 EAF Fellows attending. EAF is the place for leadership development for self identifying women and nonbinary people within the New American Majority (NAM). This means people from a wide range of identities, backgrounds, experiences and geographic regions of the country. EAF works to shift the narratives about leadership, setting boundaries, self investment, self care and bringing these knowledge bases to communities that are often underserved and underrepresented. Leaders Emerge Gathers met the needs of Belonging, Empowerment, Transformation and delivered services of Leadership Training, Mentoring, Continuing Education and Affinity Circles of Connection. In the first three Gathers trainings, we had 61 Fellows ranging in ages 21-65 - with 76.4% identifying as POC, 10% identifying as nonbinary, 41.4% identifying as LGBTQIA+, 64.7% were under the age of 36, and all representing 11 states and the District of Columbia. EAF recruited and trained 55 people from the NAM and communities of color to serve as mentors and individually matched them with EAF Fellows upon completion of the Leaders Emerge Gathers program. Over 60% of EAF Mentors are members of NAM and all mentors and mentees made and completed commitments to meet one-on-one at least four times a year in person or virtually.