At the intersection of progress and persistence lies a question we must all face: Where do we go from here?This powerful fireside chat opens the 2025 Black X Conference with an honest and stirring reflection between transformative leaders—Daphne McDole, CEO of the African American Leadership Institute (AALI), and Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, former HBCU president and current CEO of Waterloo Greenway.
Together, they will explore the origin story of the African American Leadership Institute and the bold vision behind Black X: how it emerged as a radical response to the isolation of Black leaders in Austin and has since become a catalyst for legacy, leadership, and liberation.
But this conversation won’t just celebrate what’s been built—it will confront the tension that still lingers.
- Why do Black leaders in Central Texas continue to fight for access, visibility, and sustainability in a city that thrives on innovation but struggles with inclusion?
- How do we prevent this work from becoming a moment instead of a movement?
- And what does true power-sharing look like in a city where Black presence is often acknowledged, but rarely centered?
From grassroots resistance to boardroom leadership, from silent exits to visionary returns, this conversation will trace the road we’ve walked—and chart the road ahead—for Austin, for AALI, for Black X, and for every Black leader in Central Texas.
This opening conversation sets the stage for a day of bold dialogue, critical dreaming, and unapologetic action—culminating in our morning keynote from nationally acclaimed educator and changemaker, Dr. Steve Perry.
