In the 12 years since our founding, the KFLA has grown to nearly 1,600 fellows in 53 countries, representing 14 different W.K Kellogg Foundation Fellowship programs. The relevance of the KFLA is grounded in its diversity, the international network of leaders, the activism, innovation, and the thinkers and doers who come together to make our communities more just and equitable. KFLA achieves this through innovative network-building, convenings, initiatives, and best practices that help fellows and leaders change the world.
To stay relevant, we actively look for, and adjust to, shifting trends within environment and time. We take time to inform each other, network and embrace “new” or “different” ideas and act. We nurture a culture of fellowship and leadership that embraces relevance as essential to survival, open-mindedness to new ideas and courage to drive change.
Our programing in 2014-2015 has focused primarily on innovation - building and supporting network-centric ways of working that enable the fellows to effectively tap into the resources of the KFLA network. The online Kellogg Fellows Community is a wonderful platform for fellows to stay in touch, resulting in shared collaboration, ensuring long-term returns in a network of change-leaders.
The Humanitarian Call to Action continues to address the ongoing crisis of unaccompanied children seeking refuge from violence in Mexico and Central America by changing the narrative to a humanitarian call to action, while fostering action and collaboration amongst fellows.
The Mexico gathering in June 2015 in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, brought forth ideas, projects and innovations to a network of 40 fellows interested in collaborative projects in human rights and sustainable leadership. Further enhancing the network, 242 southern Africa Fellows were welcomed this year to KFLA.
We have submitted a proposal to the Kellogg Foundation to support the work in 2015-2016. Securing support by the Kellogg Foundation to continue networking the alumni of different fellowship programs is essential.
Programming in 2015-2016 includes the preparation of a learning tool to accompany the “Leadership and Change” monograph; coordination of the 2nd Annual Day of Gratitude; small group activities on rural America and Immigration; convening of Native American fellows to dialogue on public policy and to connect to unfolding rural and urban work; co-sponsoring the 2015 Women’s Leadership Conference in partnership with Eisenhower Fellowship, the Marshal Fund Fellows, the Loeb Fellows from Harvard, and the Ashoka Fellows in Miami, Florida in November; a six-part series of webinars on leadership; and the integration of the “WKKF Community Leadership Network” Fellows into the alumni network.
I invite you to join us, to volunteer and participate in the upcoming projects of the network.
With warm regards,
Eva Moya
President of the Board of Directors