history

Hear about the revolutionary vision and community development of The Center of Black Excellence and Culture. Amanda White’s fund development experience and Rick Phelps community development expertise brought a cross-cultural dynamic to the project that reflected and modeled the reality of the community The Center was built in. Cross-cultural fund development is complicated when race and new ideas are in the mix. The trust that was earned and formed between this project team was important to the process, allowing for amazing results and life-long friendships. Also, because there was a commitment to the project being truly Black-led, there was a trust felt by the Black community that brought their investment in The Center.

The cross-cultural dynamic brought some new dimensions of this kind and size of a project, so that the broader community could see the relevance of The Center’s vision. From focusing on having the investment of the Black community first, prioritizing Black women, and seeing an unprecedented number of supporters at every level. Also, the way people saw the project team  work together brought others on board to contribute to the project.

Rick Phelps is the former Dane County Executive and chaired redevelopment of East Washington Ave/Capitol East District in Madison, WI. He is currently serving as an integral part of the advisory council for The Center for Black Excellence and Culture.

Amanda White has been working to advance nonprofits and small businesses in Madison for 25 years. She has directly raised millions of dollars to support local nonprofit missions, including coaching over 50 clients, including 25 capital campaigns. Unique from other consultants, Amanda is fortunate to have worked in a variety of capacities within the small business and nonprofit sectors. While fundraising and storytelling is her passion, Amanda also has strong experience in financial forecasting, statewide program development, media relations, and even lobbying. These experiences give Amanda a complete understanding of non-profit management, enabling her to create a fundraising strategy that supports an organization’s mission and operations.

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The Center for Black Excellence and Culture’s development is groundbreaking in so many ways and now the staff are inspired to build a movement of excellence. Jason Fields, Chief Strategy Officer, and Janine Stephens Hale, Chief Operating Officer, talk about infusing the Black space with the potential for Black excellence because of the empowering process and the intentionality of the space itself.

Hear about the personal value of The Center and the value for the whole community. The visionary standard set by Dr. Gee has extended to the staff who experience the creative energy everyday in the Black space.

As Chief Strategy Officer at The Center for Black Excellence, Jason brings nearly a decade of leadership experience in leadership, finance, nonprofit management, economic development, and organizational growth. In this role, Jason focuses on advancing the organization’s mission of empowering communities and fostering cultural advancement by leveraging innovative strategies and fostering impactful collaborations. Jason’s expertise in nonprofit leadership and team management allows him to effectively implement the vision and drive strategic initiatives that create lasting economic and social impact.  

Previously, as President and CEO of Madison Region Economic Partnership, Jason led initiatives to strengthen regional economies by fostering business growth and cultivating talent pipelines. His commitment to financial literacy and community empowerment has been a consistent thread throughout his career, including his work at The Financial Promise Co., where he championed financial education to promote individual and community wealth-building.

Janine Stephens serves as Chief Operations Officer of The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. Her wealth of experience includes over 10 years in fund development, operations, marketing and communications, and events management. Her talents and leadership have helped grow the success of organizations in the local Madison Community including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County where she most recently served as Chief Development Officer, helping to expand the Club across three locations over her nine year tenure. Janine also served as Chief Operating Officer of Building Brave, a non-profit women’s empowerment platform. Janine has served on many community committees to further the mission of agencies serving youth and families in Dane County. A Milwaukee native, Janine is an active and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the largest African American women’s organization in the world.

theblackcenter.org

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Dr. Alex Gee welcomes two of the most important creatives in the development of The Center of Black Excellence, Rev. Lilada Gee and Rafeeq Asad. They discuss their roles in the innovative design and aesthetic of the building. Rev. Lilada is the co-founder and interior decorator, and Rafeeq is the chief architect that worked to infuse a visceral Blackness into the building design. 

Hear about the deep cultural thought and feeling that went into the design, including the fight needed for keeping Blackness in the visual aesthetic. It was important to infuse the space with the Black excellence that The Center claims and make sure that is felt by those in the Black community. The building and its vision needed to express to the Black community that they mattered once they entered the space. 

theblackcenter.org

alexgee.com

Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group