Written by Candice C. Jones
What better time for Black women to define our leadership experience than when so many others want to do it for us?
I’m talking to and about Black women in leadership because our perspectives are missing from both mainstream conversation and leadership literature. I was recently joined by Jamila Hodge, CEO of Equal Justice USA, a criminal justice nonprofit dedicated to building public safety through community-led solutions. Her work and perspective are informed by the 12 years she served as a federal prosecutor.
FINDING OUR MEANING
Candice C. Jones: Let’s talk about your background and how you came to this moment.
Jamila Hodge: People are often shocked that I am a former prosecutor. I went into that role thinking the criminal justice system was broken and that we could fix it if we put the right people in power. But through studying history, I learned the system is rooted in control and racial oppression, and I now understand it is functioning as intended.
What about Equal Justice USA attracted you?
It was our work to address violence outside the system by working with the community to address its root causes, which is how we get to safety. We’re never going to punish our way to safety.
You took over a historically white-led organization founded by a white woman. What was that transition like?
I took over from a white founder who intentionally stepped back to look for a leader of color impacted by the issues we care about. The white supremacy
in the hierarchy is real, so I had to be really clear with my team from day one—that just because I’m a Black woman does not mean I can’t operate in white supremacy, especially when that is the leadership model I’ve mostly experienced.EXITING OUR COMFORT ZONE
A new opportunity should be equal parts excitement and terror. I’m hearing the excitement. What was terrifying?
It was more terrifying than exciting. I’d come from leading an initiative within a larger organization. Stepping into this role felt like jumping with no safety net, and there weren’t a lot of models for leading in a way that is consistent with my values.
How long did it take you to get up to speed? Were there areas where you leaned in and others where you leaned out?
It took a year and was a race every step of the way.
What I realized after that first year was how much I stayed in my comfort zone. I could hang out in programs all day, but we had programmatic staff doing a great job. Even if I did not love finance, I couldn’t do my job well if I didn’t understand it. Transparently, my hand was also forced when our director of finance left for another opportunity. I had to dig in and learn. That meant opening the finance section in a management book. I also leveraged the expertise around me, including EJUSA’s board treasurer, who ran the audit department at Ford for 30 years. I pulled him in close and spent several hours on calls with spreadsheets open.
What has been the most valuable leadership lesson you’ve learned?
Ask questions. It didn’t matter if I had a huge learning curve in nonprofit finance. I had to lean in, roll up my sleeves, and dig into the organizational materials.
I had to study to really understand what goes into profit and loss and how a nonprofit is different from a for-profit. The hard things are hard in the moment, but now I feel much more complete as a leader.
THROUGH A LENS OF REVERENCE
What does reverence in leadership mean for you?
When I think about “reverence,” it’s awe, it’s deep respect. Some people get excited about being the boss and setting the agenda. I don’t want anything to do with a leader who’s excited about the power but doesn’t acknowledge the responsibility that comes with it.
That awe, that respect, makes me very thoughtful about the decisions I make because it impacts a lot more than just me, my family, and my team. It impacts a body of work where we hold influence.
OUR SUPERPOWER
Research shows women outperform men under pressure. What other leadership assets are specific to Black women?
Resilience. 100%. We’ve had so many experiences where we’re underestimated, where we face unfairness, where we’re knocked down and have to get back up.
We’re living that right now, and some people are responding with panic. We’re not doing that. We are going to be steady. That doesn’t mean we know exactly where we’re going, but we’re going to walk the path with intention.
What’s giving you hope right now?
I look at my 10- and 12-year-old daughters. When I need to block out the noise in the media, I join their world. They give me hope.
ADVICE FOR YOUR SELF & OTHERS
What would you tell your 20-year-old self if you could?
I was at Duke in law school, and I was struggling. I really questioned if I should be there. I’d tell my 20-year-old self, “You are just as smart, just as capable. Don’t listen to anything or anyone telling you otherwise. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Block out the imagery and the messaging that you don’t belong. You absolutely belong.”
Would you look into the face of another Black woman and tell her to step into leadership right now?
It depends. Leadership costs, and right now, it costs a lot, but we need amazing Black women in this moment. During the hard times, we need each other to hold each other up and push this work forward. The cost is not small. It impacts everything. You have to put boundaries in place to survive it.
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Candice C. Jones joined the Public Welfare Foundation in Washington, D.C., as its president and CEO in 2017. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor at Chicago CRED, an organization that focuses on gun violence in Chicago.
Candice received her J.D. from New York University School of Law. To learn more about Candice’s background and work, find her on LinkedIn.