Liberatory Leadership in Action: Cultivating Transformative Change through the Nzuri Leadership Collective

Despite the emphasis on leadership development within social work education, few models center the cultural strengths, lived experiences, and liberatory traditions of Black students—particularly at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The Nzuri Leadership Collective was developed in response to this gap as a practice-based initiative that uplifts student voice and cultivates transformative leadership using Black liberatory frameworks, cultural humility, and racial equity principles. This roundtable will explore the theoretical foundation, design process, and early implementation of Nzuri, and invite participants into a critical dialogue about how research can more effectively align with student-centered, justice-oriented leadership development.

While formal program evaluation is currently in development, Nzuri is rooted in community-based participatory principles and informed by research on Black student leadership, culturally responsive pedagogy, and anti-oppressive social work education. The design process incorporated student voice through reflective discussions, needs assessments, and feedback loops, creating a collective space where student leaders co-construct knowledge, build peer networks, and engage in critical conversations about power, advocacy, and identity. The roundtable discussion will be framed using Black feminist thought, liberatory pedagogy, and participatory design methodologies.

Preliminary insights from student engagement suggest that Nzuri fosters a greater sense of cultural affirmation, leadership confidence, and peer connection among participants. While systematic data collection is forthcoming, informal feedback indicates that students experience Nzuri as a space for self-discovery, skill-building, and collective empowerment. Several students have gone on to lead department-wide initiatives, mentor peers, and participate in advocacy efforts beyond the campus. These early outcomes signal the transformative potential of liberatory, culturally grounded leadership models in social work education.

This roundtable offers a critical reflection on the potential for practice-based, culturally rooted leadership models to shift how social work education supports the development of future leaders. Participants will discuss how liberatory frameworks, community-based research, and student voice can be centered in the co-creation and evaluation of such initiatives. The session will also explore questions around research design, ethical collaboration with students, and how to ensure that leadership development initiatives are inclusive, equity-driven, and aligned with the broader goals of social work as a discipline. Ultimately, this discussion aims to inspire and inform the development of similar models across institutions seeking to prepare students to lead with consciousness, compassion, and commitment to justice.