The Black Public Defender Association congratulates the first-ever Black Defender Leadership Institute cohort on their successful completion of the one-year-long program.

BDLI found a home thanks to the drive and vision of Stan Germán, Executive Director of the New York County Defender Services, whose office invested in the program for New York City defenders.

All 24 participants spent the past year accelerating their growth and development as transformational Black public defenders. Participants explored topics such as Asset Mapping: Owning Your Existing Power, Five Levels of Leadership & Emotional Intelligence, BDLI Scenarios Aligned with the Six (6) Competencies of Transformational Leadership, and more.  

Being selected to participate in the BDLI inaugural launching was met with enthusiasm, honor, and excitement from both the leaders and cohort participants. Based on the intensity of their public defense work, exhaustion from racialized oppression (experienced and witnessed), and national demands for justice and accountability, the cohorts felt that the leadership institute was timely and offered them the guidance they needed to survive, thrive, and prevail forward.

The program received excellent reviews. One participant shared: