Black Education For New Orleans (BENOLA)

Our mission is to ignite the Black Brilliance that exists throughout schools and neighborhoods to ensure Black children thrive! Over the past six years, Black Education for New Orleans (BE NOLA) has worked to support Black educators and Black-governed, Black-led schools (BGBLS) to ensure an education that creates better outcomes and opportunities for Black children in New Orleans as a critical factor in building a thriving Black community.

Black is Brilliant Educator Support:
-Summit: We host the annual Black is Brilliant Summit, a citywide gathering of Black educators, community leaders, activists, artists, scholars, and visionaries. The summit is truly a citywide celebration of Black education in New Orleans - embodying BE NOLA's mantra that "education is a lifestyle" by going beyond the four walls of a classroom to connect culture and education! The event emphasizes the difference between "schooling" and "education," showcasing how the Black community educates its members through history and daily lived experiences. This year, the 4th Annual Black Is Brilliant Summit was hosted across Black businesses and cultural sites located on the historic "Black Wall Street of New Orleans," Bayou Road, channeling an economic impact of more than $200K on BIPOC and women-owned businesses during National Black Business Month.

-Institute: In 2023, BE NOLA launched the pilot cohort of the Black Is Brilliant Institute, a six-month paid fellowship that guides fellows in an experiential journey of wellness, learning, and doing. The institute provides strength-based Black teacher wellness and holistic support organized around five p

Testimonials

Since 2018, BE NOLA has supported an average of 550 Black educators each year across our various programs. Collectively they impact more than 3000 students annually.

"There were so many moments that had me nearly in tears because of the gratitude I feel for being a part of the Black is Brilliant Institute Program. Thank you, endlessly." - Gwendolyn Jones, 2023 Institute Fellow

"Don't. Stop. Doing. This. I left inspired and loved how the summit looked at education through a lens far more varied than traditional education. If my professional developments were like this, I might still be in the classroom. . . I loved the innovation of it, truly."