Stronger Together
BOLD Leadership Network develops Black leaders in local education and beyond
Never underestimate the power of fellowship.
That’s a lesson Damon Qualls learned in 2020, when he was principal of Greenville’s Monaview Elementary School. During COVID, he and a group of other African American school leaders gathered to celebrate the promotion of fellow educator Dr. Edward Anderson to executive director of OnTrack Greenville, a partnership between Greenville County Schools and United Way of Greenville County.
“It was the first time many of us had had the opportunity to come together and find fellowship and learn about one another outside of the school setting. That collaboration was so powerful and so meaningful that we started a group chat,” Qualls says. After a second gathering and a call for interest on social media, the nonprofit BOLD Leadership Network was born. “We knew that we were too strong of a voice not to organize . . . this into something,” adds Qualls, who is now the group’s executive director. “So here we are four years later, stronger than ever.”
Based on the camaraderie they experienced in those early get-togethers, the group hosts BOLD Conversations in the community; personalized leadership training called BOLD Fellowships; BOLD Workshops and Services; and Affinity Space gatherings that give professionals the opportunity to tackle workplace problems in a supportive setting.
“BOLD is predicated on affinity,” explains Dr. Edward Anderson, the organization’s Affinity Chair. “Affinity is a group of individuals that have common characteristics or common experiences and come together to problem-solve. It’s about safety and vulnerability. Every month we host an Affinity Space, one around educators and one around Black leaders, which focus on problems of practice. In that space, you don’t have to fear you’ll be judged or not accepted because . . . everyone in that space comes from similar backgrounds.”
Another way BOLD develops leaders is by providing four scholarships each year to aspiring and current education majors throughout South Carolina. “We stay connected with [the scholarship recipients],” says Dr. Carlos Grant, executive director of Rock Hill Schools Alternative Programs and BOLD’s Membership Chair. “We check in with them regularly from the time they get that scholarship to the time they get to the classroom and beyond. We feel very invested in them being educators who want to stay in the craft.” Research shows that if a Black elementary school student has a Black teacher, they are 39 percent more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college.
When BOLD Leadership Network started, it focused on Black male educators and leaders, but the group is now expanding beyond education to include leaders in different fields. “Our core mission is still to impact educational policies and break down stereotypes that impact children in our systems,” says Grant. “But we believe this same skill set can morph to any industry and apply to their own leadership skills.”
As BOLD comes up on its fifth anniversary in March 2026, its leaders will celebrate the group’s first cohort of educators to go out into the classroom after graduating with the help of BOLD scholarships. “We’re investing in seeds that are starting to sprout,” observes Dr. Anderson. “And they’ll continue to grow in ways that we probably can’t even imagine.”
“We have really been committed to telling the BOLD story, and now to be in a position nearly five years later where we are finally feeling seen, feeling heard, and appreciated is motivating and inspiring beyond belief,” Qualls says.
“BOLD makes Greenville a better place because we’re committed to this area,” he adds. “This is where our children attend schools. By investing in educators and principals in schools, ultimately, we are strengthening the fabric of education.”
Meaningful Impact
- BOLD Leadership Network facilitated and/or led a total of 27 targeted activities in 2023, reaching 2,075 in-person attendees.
- The organization’s social media presence has grown, with documented touchpoints in 2023 exceeding 100,000 on Facebook and Instagram combined.
- BOLD Leadership Network was chosen to partner with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) in 2023. This collaboration included leading a conference workshop, a focus group, and a podcast for principals of color across the US.
- The organization has a growing list of “BOLD Allies,” with more than 100 individuals and organizations making a difference.
- 75 percent of BOLD’s dollars directly support programs, including 100 percent of Closing the Gap donations funding student scholarships and support to students.
Click here to learn more about the Education Spirit Award and the other Charitable Giving Awards.