Hope Has An Address: Roots & Reach

"Roots and Reach: Black Women Leading Local and Global Change” celebrates the transformative leadership of Black women who are spearheading movements, reshaping communities, and igniting global progress.

Through Obama Foundation programs like Leaders Africa, Leaders USA, and the Girls Opportunity Alliance, these visionaries are forging pathways to equity and mobilizing change across continents. Featuring voices like Michelle Obama, Stacey Abrams, and Lisa Dolberry Hancock, this segment highlights how educators, policy makers, and social justice advocates turn local action into worldwide impact.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hope in the face of difficulty, Hope in the face
of uncertainty, the audacity of hope.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
I'm asking you to believe not in my ability to
bring about change, but in yours.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Yes we can.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hope has an address, and it starts with us. Honoring legacies,
overcoming barriers, pursuing justice, empowering generations.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
From classrooms to capitals, from grassroots movements to global stages.
Black women have always been architects of progress.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
The work you do means the world. It is changing
the world. Every girl you touch becomes stronger, more powerful.
They see their possibilities and it makes a difference.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Today. Through the Obama Foundation, their roots of resilience and
reach of influence are shaping a future where equality and
justice thrive. Welcome to Hope has an address. I'm bree
would for the Black Information Network. When we talk about leadership,
we often picture power at the top, but real change
begins at the roots, where communities rise because someone cared

(01:07):
enough to lead. Across America and around the world, black
women are doing just that. Take policy leaders like Stacy Abrams,
whose fight for voting rights has redefined civic engagement.

Speaker 4 (01:18):
Our responsibility is to talk about what's coming next, not
what God is here. We need to understand what God
is here, but we've got to be talking to people
about what they can do to put us on a
future path that gets us to where we should be,
not where they want to scare us.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Or educators shaping the next generation of thinkers and advocates.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
That in societies and countries where women are educated, everyone benefits.
It's an undisputed proof that in developed countries where half
of the population is getting an education and able to contribute,
whether be in by bringing in an income or we're
doing a better job of educating the children that they're

(01:58):
bringing in, that enhances the power and the strength of everyone.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
And then there are social justice champions who turn pain
into purpose, organizing for equity and housing, health care, and education.
The Obama Foundation amplifies these voices through programs like Leaders Africa,
Leaders USA, and the Girls Opportunity Alliance. These initiatives train
leaders and nurture visionaries who understand that local action sparks

(02:25):
global impact. Consider the Obama Foundation Scholars Program at Columbia
University and the University of Chicago. Women from Detroit to Durban,
South Africa are learning, connecting and returning home equipped to
transform systems. Lisa Dolberry Hancock is the founding director of
the Obama Foundation Scholars Program at Columbia.

Speaker 5 (02:46):
The scholars participating in the Obama Foundation Scholars Program at
Columbia University are rising social change.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Leaders who around the world.

Speaker 5 (02:55):
They are inspired to address really complex, critical challenges in
their communities in their home countries.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Michelle Obama often reminds US communities flourish when women are empowered,
and that empowerment is happening, whether it's a teacher in
Atlanta creating pathways for black girls in stem or an
advocate in Nairobi dismantling barriers to education. When black women
lead locally, the ripple effect reaches far beyond borders.

Speaker 6 (03:20):
You know, we don't want the boys to think that
education is only made for them. If all girls in
my community received quality education, the opportunities it opens for
you are enormous. Which opportunities again help you do so
much with your own self, with your family, and your
community as well.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Their work is challenging outdated systems, creating opportunities for marginalized voices,
and proving that progress isn't reserved for a few it's
a right for all. The Obama Foundation believes leadership is
not about titles. It's about impact. And when black women lead,
communities rise, nations listen, and the world changes, their roots

(03:56):
run deep. Hope has an address, and it's in the
vision and leadership of Black women shaping tomorrow. For more
information or to join us in this movement, visit Obama
dot org backslash leaders. I'm Bree Wood for the Black
Information Network.