>> SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONES HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HOW DO YOU THINK THEM?

BY WEAVING YOUR OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] PETER: WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION," A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM WHERE THE DISCUSSION IS FOCUSED ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN RHODE ISLAND.

I'M YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

OUR GUEST IS ANGIE ANKOMA, RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION'S NEW DIRECTOR OF EQUITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE.

WE CALL IT ELI.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

ANGIE: THANK YOU, PETER.

PETER: GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

IT'S A GREAT ACRONYM.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS AROUND ELI -- "THE BOOK OF ELI," WHICH WAS A GREAT MOVIE.

I CAN THINK OF SOME SONGS THAT ELI WAS IN.

TELL US WHAT ELI IS, THE FOUNDATION.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

ANGIE: EQUITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE AT THE FOUNDATION IS OUR EFFORT OF SUPPORTING LEADERS OF COLOR IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

IT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT RECENTLY LAUNCHED.

WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DIVERSIFY THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE IN OUR STATE.

OFTENTIMES WE HEAR THE OLD STATEMENT THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH LEADERS OF COLOR IN OUR STATE.

I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING, PETER, THROUGH THIS PROCESS I MEANT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LIFT UP THAT TALENT AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT, AND SUPPORT THESE LEADERS IN OUR STATE SO THEY CAN BE OPEN AND READY FOR OPPORTUNITIES OF ADVANCEMENT IN OUR STATE.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE PICKING ON THE SAME FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE THEY KNOW OF BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE IS MUCH MORE TALENT, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT SUPPORTING THEM.

PETER: IT IS A PROBLEM IN A SMALL STATE.

I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT MANY PEOPLE IN RHODE ISLAND TALK ABOUT IS NEPOTISM IN APPOINTMENTS IN GOVERNMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I ALSO HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT BECAUSE RHODE ISLAND IS SO SMALL, IF IT IS GOING TO BE -- IF YOUR RESEARCH IS LIMITED TO RHODE ISLAND, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FACED WITH THE SITUATION OF KNOWING SOMEBODY OR THE FRIEND OF SOMEBODY, OR THE OLD ACRONYM IN RHODE ISLAND IS "I KNOW A GUY."

IT JUST HAPPENS.

IF WE WERE A BIGGER STATE, IT MIGHT NOT BE AS NOTICEABLE.

BECAUSE OF THAT, WE TEND TO GO BACK TO THE SAME PEOPLE AND ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS.

IT IS ALMOST THE REVERSE OF THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY, CORRECT?

KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS AND EXPECT A DIFFERENT RESULT.

IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE LEADERSHIP THING.

WE WANT LEADERS BUT WE GO AFTER THE SAME FOLKS AND ASK THEM TO STEP IN AND BE A LEADER AND WE DON'T EXPAND THAT BASE.

ELI IS GOING TO BE THE LINCHPIN TO CHANGE THAT.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE A BIT.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU ANTICIPATE TO BE IN THE PROGRAM?

ANGIE: WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE 20 IN THE INAUGURAL COHORT.

WE RECEIVED AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE WITH APPLICATIONS, ABOUT 96 PEOPLE APPLIED.

PETER: THAT'S GREAT.

ANGIE: TREMENDOUS EXCITEMENT.

PETER: IS THERE AN AGE RANGE?

ANGIE: THERE ISN'T AN AGE RANGE, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT LEADERS CAN COME FROM ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE IN ALL SECTORS -- GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE BUSINESS, PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE NONPROFIT WORLD AS WELL, BECAUSE WE THINK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ALL THREE OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PIPELINE OF LEADERS FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER IT BE PRIVATE, NONPROFIT, PUBLIC, OR GOVERNMENT.

PETER: IT MAKES SENSE.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS STATE, AND A LOT OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE FOCUSED AROUND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.

SUPPORT GROUPS AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO SUPPORT GROUPS.

SO IT'S ALL LINKED.

IT'S ALL LINKED.

TO PULL LEADERS OUT OF NONPROFIT, PRIVATE SECTOR, AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT TO WORK TOGETHER OBVIOUSLY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE A THINK TANK?

TELL ME HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK.

ANGIE: THE LEADERS, ONCE THEY ARE SELECTED, ARE GOING TO BE MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND DEDICATE HALF THEIR DAY ON WEDNESDAYS FROM 12:00 TO 6:00 WHEN WE GET TOGETHER AND IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE AREAS IN WHICH THE PERSON AS AN INDIVIDUAL FEELS THEY NEED TO GROW.

MAYBE IT IS EXPANDING THEIR NETWORK.

MAYBE IT IS DEVELOPING WHAT THEIR BRAND IS.

MAYBE IT IS MORE FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING, SHARPENING THOSE SKILLS.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, UTILIZING THE FOUNDATION AS A BASIS TO NETWORK, TO BE ABLE TO NETWORK WITH ONE ANOTHER.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEAR FROM LEADERS IS ONCE YOU BECOME A LEADER, IT CAN BE A VERY LONELY PLACE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE LEADERS DEVELOP A STRONG BOND WHERE THEY CAN BE THERE FOR ONE ANOTHER WHETHER THEY ARE IN GOVERNMENT OR IN BUSINESS OR THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ANOTHER PERSON WHO YOU KNOW OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR SO YOU COULD -- THAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY WITH.

WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE LEADERS ARE LIFTED UP IN THEIR PROFILE.

LIKE YOU SAID, RHODE ISLAND IS A SMALL STATE.

WE KNOW THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THESE LEADERS AS WELL, TOO.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE AS PEOPLE KNOW WHO THEY ARE -- PETER: THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

ANGIE: WHETHER THEY BE IN GOVERNMENT, THE CORPORATE SECTOR AS WELL, TOO.

AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE GO BETWEEN THOSE SPACES AS WELL.

PETER: ABSOLUTELY.

ANGIE: AND I THINK THERE ARE SKILL SETS THAT ARE TRANSFERABLE IN ANY OF THOSE SECTORS.

MEETING MONTHLY WITH THE 12 LEADERS, EACH LEADER WILL BE PAIRED WITH AN EXECUTIVE COACH AS WELL AS A MENTOR TO HELP THEM ON THEIR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY.

IT IS INDIVIDUALIZED.

PETER: WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MENTOR AND THE COACH?

ANGIE: THE MENTOR IS SOMEBODY TO BE THERE TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF.

I HAVE A MENTOR.

IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM PROFESSIONAL OR A QUESTION I WANT TO BOUNCE AN IDEA OFF OF YOU.

I THINK THE EXECUTIVE COACH IS REALLY SOMEONE WHO IS FOCUSED ON HELPING THAT PERSON INDIVIDUALLY WITH THEIR GOAL.

LET'S SAY I AM A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF AN ORGANIZATION, AND MY EXECUTIVE COACH IS HELPING ME TO MAKE SURE I'M READY FOR THE NEXT POSITION AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ORGANIZATION.

THAT IS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSED.

THE MENTOR IS GOING TO BE, I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, CAN I BOUNCE AN IDEA OFF OF YOU, OR YOU PART IN THIS CAREER PATH I'M INTERESTED IN.

HELP ME LEARN ABOUT YOU AND YOUR JOURNEY.

PETER: A MENTOR WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THE DISCIPLINE THAT THE PARTICIPANT IS HEADING.

IT IS MORE OF A SUPPORT MECHANISM.

ANGIE: YES.

PETER: IT IS REAL IMPORTANT TO DEFINE THAT.

I'VE BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES TO BE IN A MENTOR PROGRAM, AND MOST PEOPLE ARE LEFT WITH THE FACT THAT IF YOU ARE A MENTOR, YOU HAVE TO SPEND X AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH IS PROBABLY MORE THAN I HAVE.

AM I THE RIGHT PERSON?

MAYBE MIMY PAST MEANS I SHOULD NOT BE A MENTOR FOR SOMEONE ELSE, ESPECIALLY SOMEONE YOUNGER.

A LOTTA PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORD "MENTOR," BUT IF YOU SAID COULD YOU BE A SUPPORTIVE FRIEND TO A PERSON WHO IS STARTING OUT IN BUSINESS OR BECOMING A LEADER, THAT MIGHT GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

SAME WITH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS.

YOU AUTOMATICALLY THINK TIME CONSTRAINTS AND FIXED AND "CAN I STOP," OR CAN WE NOT STOP AS A MENTOR, ARE YOU TRIED AS A PERSON FOR LIFE.

THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP TO DEVELOP A BIGGER POOL OF MENTORS, BECAUSE THE TERM HAS BEEN USED SO DIFFERENTLY BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK MENTORS ALSO CAN BE CERTAIN FACES OF YOUR LIFE-- PHASES OF YOUR LIFE.

IT MIGHT BE A MENTOR FOR A PARTICULAR TRANSITION I AM LOOKING AT -- PETER: IT MIGHT BE PERSONAL, NOT PROFESSIONAL.

ANGIE: EXACTLY.

YOU MIGHT NEED MENTORS FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS.

YOU ARE IN MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AND YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO IS ALIGNED WITH THAT.

OR YOU WANT SOME WHO IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

ONE OF THE THINGS INTERESTING TALKING ABOUT ELI IS DO YOU HAVE TO BE A PERSON OF COLOR TO BE A MENTOR, AND I SAY ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THE MAIN REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU HAVE A PASSION THAT YOU WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE FOR ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AND YOU CAN DETERMINE WHAT THOSE BOUNDARIES ARE -- WHETHER YOU WANT TO MEET FOR LUNCH, SEND A QUICK EMAIL, MESSAGE, CAN I PHONE A FRIEND IF I HAVE THIS ISSUE I'M WORKING THROUGH.

STRATEGIC THOUGHT PARTNER.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

IT BRINGS A POINT ABOUT A QUESTION -- DO THE PARTICIPANTS OF ELI HAVE TO BE BLACK?

ANGIE: THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE BLACK.

THEY HAVE TO IDENTIFIES A PERSON OF COLOR -- BLACK LATINO,, INDIGENOUS, MIXED-RACE.

PETER: THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO SELF IDENTIFICATION.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT IDENTIFY ONE OR ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR ANCESTRY OR THEIR BACKGROUND, BUT BY LOOKING AT THEM YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE, BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE LOOK LIKE IF THEY SAY THEY ARE ASIAN OR THEY SAY THEY ARE BLACK.

I THINK ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS KIND OF WONDERED ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW WE HAVE THE LABEL BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AS YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

BUT TRULY TO ME AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO JUST CAME FROM AFRICA AND BECOMES A CITIZEN, AND THEN THE HANDLE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAKES SENSE -- LIKE A FRENCH-AMERICAN OR ITALIAN-AMERICAN.

BUT TO ME, PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE ANCESTRAL HE BORN HERE, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH GENERATIONS, ARE THEY AFRICAN AMERICANS OR ARE THEY JUST AMERICANS WITH AFRICAN ANCESTRY?

IT IS THE WORDING.

AND I UNDERSTAND WORDS ARE IMPORTANT.

ANGIE: I ALSO USE THE DIASPORA.

YOU CAN BE FROM -- AS A PERSON FROM AFRICAN ANCESTRY, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN BECAUSE MY PARENTS ARE FROM WEST AFRICA.

BUT IT ALL DEPENDS.

YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO IS JAMAICAN, JAMAICAN AMERICAN.

I THINK IT VARIES UPON THE INDIVIDUAL AND HOW THEY SELF IDENTIFY FOR PETER: ABSOLUTELY.

I SPENT SOME TIME IN THE CARIBBEAN WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS YEARS AGO, AND BOUNCING BETWEEN THE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, THE TWO DIFFERENT CULTURES, THEY WERE 50 MILES APART, BUT YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT.

THEY WERE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF MILES APART IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CULTURES ON THE TWO ISLANDS.

AND BOTH ISLANDS YOU HAD PEOPLE OF COLOR, SOMETHING VERY FAIR, SOME NOT SO FAIR, SOME DARK.

BUT ALL THOSE FOLKS COULD BE LABELED AS PEOPLE OF COLOR REGARDLESS.

I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES ON THE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO THAT PEOPLE THERE ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT NOT BECOMING A STATE.

AND THE FEELING ON THE ISLAND IS THAT THE AMERICAN CONGRESS DOESN'T WANT TO PROVIDE STATEHOOD TO AN ISLAND WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY BROWN.

AND THEREFORE WE WOULD HAVE A NEW MINORITY SENATOR AND A NEW MINORITY CONGRESSMAN THAT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ALLEGIANCE TO WHOEVER WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE AT THE TIME -- IF IT WAS DEMOCRATS WHEN THEY BECAME A STATE OR VICE VERSA, REPUBLICANS WHEN THEY BECAME A STATE.

IT IS ALL BASED AROUND THIS CONCEPT OF WHO PEOPLE ARE.

EITHER VISUALLY OR POLITICALLY.

AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS COUNTRY OBVIOUSLY HAVE A STAKE IN THE POLITICAL PIECE.

WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP, I WANT TO GET BACK TO ONE MORE THING -- HOW DO YOU DEFINE A LEADER?

ANGIE: QUICK QUESTION.

A LEADER IS SOMEBODY WHO--GOOD QUESTION.

A LEADER IS SOMEBODY WHO TAKES ACTION.

LEADER IS NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS IN THE FRONT.

SOME LEADERS LEAD FROM BEHIND AND ARE VERY EFFECTIVE DOING THAT.

SOME LEADERS HAVE A VISION, STRATEGY, AND THEY TAKE ACTION AS WELL.

ELI, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PARAMETERS REGARDING -- THERE WEREN'T PARAMETERS REGARDING THE AGE, THERE WEREN'T PARAMETERS REGARDING THE BACKGROUND OR NUMBER OF YEARS.

WE WANT TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY HAVE A CRIBBAGEED AND THAT WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISH--WE WANT THE PERSON TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.

PETER: THAT IS A GOOD SEGUE TO MY NEXT QUESTION -- HOW ARE THE CANDIDATES CHOSEN?

ANGIE: WE HAVE A REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND THE REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS READING APPLICATIONS.

THERE ARE FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE APPLICATION.

PETER: CAN YOU SHARE THOSE QUESTIONS?

ANGIE: YES.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE A LEADER?

WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A LEADER AND HAVE HAD IMPACT?

HOW DO YOU THINK THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION EQUITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE WILL HELP YOU ON YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY?

PETER: OK, MAKES SENSE.

ANGIE: AND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU SEE YOURSELF WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO AS A LEADER?

THE LAST QUESTION IS A VIDEO QUESTION, BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THE QUESTION IT IS DURING COVID AND IT IS HARD TO KNOW SOMEBODY WITH PAPER.

WE HAVE THESE TWO-THREE-MINUTE VIDEOS WERE EVERYONE SHARES THE IMPACT THIS INITIATIVE WILL HAVE ON THEIR LIVES AND THEIR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY AND HOW IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THEM.

PETER: THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I LIKE THAT.

ANGIE: YES, SO WE NEED TO REVIEW, AND THEN SURELY AFTERWARDS WE WILL HAVE 20 PEOPLE WHO START THEIR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WHO WILL MEET MONTHLY, SIT TOGETHER, AND ALSO DO SOME DEEP THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER OF COLOR IN OUR STATE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THEY HAVE FACED, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS WE CAN IDENTIFY WAYS AROUND THOSE BARRIERS, AND WHERE THEY SEE THEMSELVES WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR AND HOW CAN WE HELP ACHIEVE THAT?

PETER: PLANNING IS SOMETHING THAT MOST OF US DON'T LIKE TO DO .

I'M NOT SURE WHY.

MAYBE BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT IF I SET MY GOAL TOO HIGH AND I DON'T MAKE IT, I'M GOING TO VIEW MYSELF AS A FAILURE.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: BUT PLANNING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN OR A GOAL, THEN YOU ARE FLOUNDERING, LIKE A PINBALL AND PINBALL MACHINE.

WHEREVER YOU GET KNOCKED AROUND IS WHERE YOU GO.

BUT IF YOU HAVE A PLAN TO ME CAN MANEUVER THE PINBALL MACHINE.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY, AND WHAT I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS IS THAT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE SELFISH ONTO THEM AND DEVELOP THEIR PLAN AND FOCUS ON WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE.

MANY LEADERS, PARTICULARLY THE LEADERS OF COLOR, ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING AND HELPING OTHERS, BUT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO FOCUS ON THEMSELVES.

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL AND HOW CAN WE HELP YOU ACHIEVE THAT GOAL, AND HOW DO YOU DEDICATE HALF A DAY A MONTH TO YOURSELF AND YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY?

PETER: AND THE IDEA OF DEVELOPING LEADERS IS REALLY GOOD, BECAUSE IN MY YEARS OF WORKING IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN GOVERNMENT, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE RISE TO THE LEVEL OF BECOMING THE DIRECTOR OR THE EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE, BUT HAVE HADNO LEADERSHIP TRAINING, NO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN WHEN THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE FORCED -- FACED WITH THIS RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING NOT ONLY A WORKLOAD, BUT MANAGING PEOPLE, IT BECOMES -- IT SHOWS ITSELF.

THE ONE THING THAT MORE PEOPLE SAY IS A PROBLEM AT WORK IS THAT I KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS MY BOSS, OR I KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY COWORKERS BETTER THAN MY BOSS DOES.

THAT IS A SURE SIGN OF A PROBLEM FOR A COMPANY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS A GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE SECTOR OR WHATEVER.

AND BECAUSE IF YOU ARE A LEADER WHO IS NOT RESPECTED OR A LEADER THAT IS QUESTION, NO CONFIDENCE, THEN YOU HAVE LOST HALF THE BATTLE.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: AND WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING IS NOT GOING TO BE AT ITS BEST LEVEL.

ANGIE: I COMPLETELY AGREE.

PETER: GREAT JOB.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED WITH ELI AND THE FOUNDATION?

ANGIE: YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT ME, MY LEADERSHIP JOURNEY, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HERE WITHOUT A MENTOR, SOMEBODY WHO SUPPORTED AND BELIEVED IN ME.

IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY DOES WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS.

LOOKING ACROSS THE TIMES WHEN I'M SITTING AT A TABLE, I'M ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND I WANT TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US AT THE TABLE, AT THE DECISION-MAKING TABLE.

IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO LEAD AND SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS OF COLOR.

I COULD PASS IT UP WHEN I WAS OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE TEAM.

PETER: THAT'S A GOOD REASON, FOR SURE.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OR AN ADVOCATE?

ANGIE: I HAVE.

I HAVE.

I'M FROM RHODE ISLAND, REALLY INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVED IN FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.

AND REALLY, I LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND WHEN I AME BACK TO RHODE ISLAND, I COUNTED OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.

I SERVE ON A NUMBER OF NONPROFIT BOARDS, WORKED IN GOVERNMENT FOR ABOUT A DECADE.

I PROBABLY DIDN'T SEE MYSELF AS A LEADER FOR A WHILE, BUT LIKE I SAID, THERE IS THE MENTOR WHO BELIEVED IN ME WHO INVESTED IN ME AND MADE SURE THAT SHE OPENED PATHS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ME CAN WHETHER IT BE MAKING SURE I MET A PARTICULAR MEETING AND I KNEW PARTICULAR PEOPLE.

I THINK THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE, I BECAME A LEADER.

AS A LEADER, YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING AND GROWING.

I ALWAYS NEED MENTORSHIP, GUIDANCE.

I APPRECIATE AND VALUE THE LEADERSHIP JOURNEY THAT I HAVE HAD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORT OTHERS AS WELL AS CONTINUE TO SEEK LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR MYSELF IN TERMS OF GROWTH.

PETER: YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, GOOD LEADERS TEND TO BE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ANY PARTICULAR POSITION FOR MONEY OR FOR NOTORIETY.

THEY ARE IN IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE.

THAT PROBABLY IS THE BEST DEFINITION OF AT LEAST A COMPONEN OF THE DEFINITION OF A LEADER, WANTING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF PEOPLE CALLING ME A LEADER OVER THE YEARS, AND I'VE REJECTED IT.

I SAY I'M NOT A LEADER, NO ONE HAS ELECTED ME A LEADER, NO GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID WE ARE GOING TO HOLD YOU OUT TO BE OUR LEADER.

AND SO SELF PROCLAIMING MYSELF, SO TO SPEAK, AS A LEADER IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD EVER BE COMFORTABLE WITH.

SO WHEN PEOPLE APPROACH ME AND SAY, "YOU ARE A LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY," I OFTEN SAY I AM A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES ME A LEADER.

THAT TERM DENOTES RESPONSIBILITY.

AND MAYBE I WASN'T READY FOR IT, OR DIDN'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY.

WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A CHOICE FOR PEOPLE.

WE NEED LEADERS, BUT WE ALSO NEED FOLLOWERS.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: AND WE NEED WORKERS.

THERE IS THE QUEEN BEE AND THERE IS ALL THE DRONES WHO DO THE WORK.

AND WE NEED THEM.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE GREW UP IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THE THOUGHT OF EVERYONE IS GOING TO BECOME A LEADER, EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE THAT WEALTHY PERSON, EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE THE PERSON IN CHARGE.

BUT EVERYBODY CAN'T BE.

NOW YOU ARE FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF WHO GETS TO BE THE LEADER AND WHO GETS TO BE THE WORKER BEE OR THE FOLLOWER.

IT'S AN INTERESTING DICHOTOMY, IT REALLY IS.

IN TERMS OF THE CANDIDATES YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE, AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED MORE THAN ONE CLASS, TO, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN -- DID I HEAR THAT IN ONE OF YOUR ANSWERS?

ANGIE: YES, SO THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE BETWEEN 2021 AND 2022, WE WILL HAVE THE INAUGURAL CLASS, AND YEAR WE WILL START AGAIN AND LOOK FOR THE NEXT CLASS -- PETER: OF 20?

ANGIE: OF 20.

PETER: DO YOU ENVISION DOWN THE LINE THERE MAYBE THREE GROUPS OF 20?

ANGIE: NOT SIMULTANEOUSLY.

PETER: OK, THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING.

ANGIE: WELL, IF THE DEMAND IS THERE AND THE NEED AS THEY ARE, ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: 96 APPLICANTS.

ANGIE: IT WAS VERY, VERY -- NOT SURPRISED, BUT A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO SEE THE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR STATE.

WHEN YOU SAVE RHODE ISLAND IS SMALL, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE I DID NOT KNOW, MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT LEADERSHIP SUPPORT.

BUT ALSO, PEOPLE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL THERE IS AN INITIATIVE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON LEADERS OF COLOR.

AFTER EVERY CALL THAT WE HAD WITH PEOPLE, JUST GIVING THEM INFORMATION, THERE WAS NOT ONE CALL THAT WE HAD WHERE SOMEBODY SAID "THANK YOU FOR THIS," BECAUSE THERE IS A STRONG NEED AND DESIRE FOR A LEADER IN OUR STATE AND TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

THAT MAKE ME GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

96 PEOPLE IN THE INAUGURAL CLASS --WE MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE SIMULTANEOUS COURSES.

BUT I KNOW THAT THE FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED -- PETER: TO AT LEAST ONE.

ANGIE: ABSOLUTELY.

TO AT LEAST THREE.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO AT LEAST THREE COHORTS.

PEOPLE HAVE ASKED HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESSFUL I DO FIND SUCCESS WHEN THERE IS A CEO AND PRESIDENT JOB OPPORTUNITY IN AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE STRONG APPLICANTS IS A GRADUATE OF ELI, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT LEADERS FOR STATE GOVERNMENT AND ONE OF THE NEXT PEOPLE IN LINE IS A POTENTIAL ELI APPLICANT, OR LOOKING AT SOMETHING IN THE CORPORATE SECTOR WHO IS A LEADER THERE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE EQUITY LEADERSHIP GRADUATES WHO ARE WELL-POSITIONED AND FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT IN THE NEXT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, WHEREVER THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE.

PETER: IS THERE ANY COST TO PARTICIPANTS?

ANGIE: THERE ISN'T A COST.

I DID MY FIRST PRESENTATION AND WE SPOKE PRETTY FIVE-MINUTE AND SOMEBODY ROSE THEIR HENAN SAID, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST.

THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN THE FIRST THING I SAID.

IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING.

THE ONLY THING WE ASK PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY HIS THE TIME THAT IT TAKES UP IT IS THE BAIT.

PETER: AND MAKE THAT COMMITMENT.

ANGIE: AND MAKE THAT COMMITMENT.

AND LET US KNOW THE BARRIERS, IF YOU ARE ACCEPTED, WHAT BARRIERS YOU MAY HAVE TO PRODUCE A BIDDING SO MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH YOU AS WELL--HAVE TWO PARTICIPATING SO MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH YOU AS WELL.

PETER: NOT EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE SAME FREE TIME, NECESSARILY .

ANGIE: YOU JUST STARTED A NEW JOB AND YOU HAVE VACATION TIME AND WE WANT IS FOR YOU.

PETER: OR THE EVENT OF A PARENT WHO HAS CHILDREN.

YOU HAVE CHILDREN.

ANGIE: I DO.

PETER: THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH YOUR FAMILY.

OBVIOUSLY, FAMILY COMES -- ANGIE: FIRST.

YES.

PETER: THE PROGRAM SOUNDS GREAT, AND I KNOW THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ACTIVITIES AND HOW MONEY IS BEING SPENT.

SOME OF IT IS COVID MONEY THAT THE STATE IS RECEIVING.

I KNOW THE FOUNDATION IS INVOLVED IN TRYING TO HELP DISSEMINATE THOSE FUNDS IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE.

I'M GUESSING THAT THIS PROGRAM MIGHT BE PART OF THAT.

ANGIE: YES, AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CENTER QUITY IN THIS AS WELL, TOO.

AS WE KNOW WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, DISPROPORTIONATELY FOR WHEN WE LOOK AT RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW THESE INVESTMENTS -- NOT IF THERE IS ANOTHER PANDEMIC, BUT WHEN THERE IS, WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE SAME PEOPLE BEING BURDENED AGAIN.

I THINK ONE OF THE KEY AREAS THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON IS LOOKING AT HOW DO WE FOCUS ON--FOCUS AND CENTER RACIAL EQUITY AS PART OF HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT RECOVERING AND INVESTING THOSE RESOURCES.

PETER: IT IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT, AND SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO DO IT.

IT IS A TOUGH JOB, BUT THE FOUNDATION IS DEFINITELY THE PLACE TO DO IT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF NEIL STEINBERG, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS WORK.

I AM BEHOLDEN TO HIM, AND I JUST LIKE WORKING WITH THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A VAST IMPACT ON OUR STATE.

IT REALLY DOES.

ANGIE, LISTEN, I TOLD YOU 30 MINUTES GOES BY REAL FAST, AND WE ARE COMING UP ON OUR END.

IN 30 SECONDS, TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO THE VIEWERS ABOUT ELI AND WHAT'S GOING ON.

ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR?

ANGIE: WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS LOOK FOR ELI, LOOK FOR THE INAUGURAL CLASS, KEEP YOUR EYE ON THEM, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THEM.

IT WILL BE SOME OF THE MOST DYNAMIC PEOPLE YOU HAVE MET IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

AND IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SUPPORT THE LEADER, WE WOULD LOVE AND WELCOME THE SUPPORT.

AND MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE NEXT LEADER, HIGHER THAN A LEADER, NETWORK WITH THE NEXT LEADER, WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITY, AND ONE THING 2020 TAUGHT US AS WE SOUGHT DOWN, WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING ACROSS THE NATION, IS THAT WE HAVE TO DO MORE AND THERE IS A ROLE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US TO PLAY.

MANY HANDS MAKE THE WORK AND I'M HOPING ALL RHODE ISLANDERS HELP WITH US WITH THE EQUITY LEADERSHIP AS WELL.

PETER: I THINK THEY SHOULD AND I THINK THEY WILL.

THEY WILL RESPOND TO YOU AND THE FOUNDATION.

YES, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUEST, ANGIE ANKOMA FROM THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION AND ELI.

AND YOU, THE VIEWERS, FOR TUNING INTO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

SPECIAL THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE.

I'M YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] >> SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONES