Main Points

• The Brown Boi Project offers leadership retreats twice a year for rising leaders of color ages 17–35. They are a “vehicle for a movement” and so far have trained a total of 150 leaders, organized in 10 cohorts.
• Participants Jonathan, Rico, Carla, and Lex reflected on their retreat experiences.

Key Strategies

• Create a sense of ceremony by knowing that what we do is sacred.
• Draw up and keep a Group Agreement.
• Approach the work with a lightness and have a bit of fun.

Action Steps

• Maintain the “one mic” policy (one person talking at a time).
• Practice active listening.
• Speak from your own experience.
• Don’t put down what other people are saying.
• Hold a safe space and respect confidentiality. “What happens here, stays here.”
• No cell phones.
• Hold one-on-one interactions for growth.
• Hold everyone to their highest self.