Sisterhood: A Leadership Model

July 9, 2026 | by NBA Cares

NBA’s National Convocation workshop presenters (L to R): Rev. Dr. Yolanda Norton, BWLE Program Consultant, Rev. Virzola Law-Allen, YALD Mission Specialist, Aliyah Perkins, BWLE resident, Rev. Bere Gil Soto, NBA Young Adult Leadership Development Director, and Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick, NBA Vice President of Organizational and Leadership Development.

The 2026 National Convocation took place last month in Dallas, Texas. NBA staff were on hand to take part in the biannual gathering, attending worship services, interacting with attendees, and being present at a justice rally featuring local activists and Bishop William Barber II. Staff also led a workshop session to share about the Black Women’s Leadership Experience (BWLE) residency program titled “Sisterhood: A Model For Young Black Women’s Leadership Development.”

NBA’s Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick shares about the origins of the BWLE Program.

The workshop started with an overview of BWLE’s origins. “This program did not come by happenstance,” said Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick, NBA’s VP of Organizational and Leadership Development. Drawing upon knowledge gained from a previous program about young adult development and what young adults needed, and discovering that there were some things that were missing, led to a time of introspection and discernment. “We took some time to think about who were the most vulnerable populations within those communities in which we serve, and how could we address those vulnerabilities?” said Rev. Kilpatrick.

Ultimately, this process led to the development of the BWLE program, and the presentation explained how the program’s mission and core values shape each component of the experience, from Sisterhood Circles and Wellness Groups to Mentorship and Community Engagement. “These components are not separate programs running alongside each other,” said Rev. Bere Gil Soto, NBA’s Director of Young Adult Leadership Development. “They are deeply connected, each reinforcing the others throughout the 24-month residential experience. And these are the cornerstone of how we understand sisterhood as a leadership model.”

BWLE resident Aliyah Perkins presenting during the workshop.

Attendees next heard from BWLE inaugural resident Aliyah Perkins, who shared about her journey participating in the program. “Overall, my experience in BWLE has been transformative,” she said. “Throughout the program, I explored what it means to be well as a young Black woman. We discussed setting boundaries as well as the challenges women face, including racism, discrimination, and gender inequality.” Perkins was also thankful for the opportunity to be mentored by Rev. Dr. Christal Williams. “One of the greatest gifts of this program was being paired with Dr. Williams,” Perkins said. “I am incredibly grateful for her guidance and support throughout this entire journey.”

Perkins also talked about her capstone project, the Unstoppable Girls Summit. Shaped by her own journey of growth, faith, mentorship, and community, Perkins created the summit to help middle and high school girls embrace authenticity, recognize their leadership potential, and experience the power of sisterhood. Through panels, breakout sessions, and community-building activities, the summit encouraged girls to see themselves as already enough and to understand that their voices, stories, and gifts matter.

Rev. Bere Gil Soto talks about the upcoming BWLE Intergenerational Retreats taking place in Fall 2026.

As BWLE looks toward the future, the program’s leaders are expanding their vision through two intergenerational retreats in Fall 2026, with two more planned in Spring 2027. Attendees were invited to help build the village needed to sustain this work by nominating young Black women, partnering with the program, serving as mentors or guest speakers, and financially supporting the initiative.

At its heart, BWLE demonstrates that when leadership is shaped by imagination, collective power, ancestral wisdom, and daily practices of care, sisterhood becomes a transformative force for individuals, communities, and the wider church.