Fellow Alisha Gordon named Locke Innovative Leader
It has been a year of ups and downs for Invested Faith Fellow Alisha Gordon.
In January, Gordon was selected as a Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award recipient, just three weeks after the death of her mother who died of Stage IV breast cancer. It was a welcomed boost at a difficult time.
Gordon is the founder and Executive Director of The Current Project, a nonprofit organization committed to closing the social and economic gaps for Black single mothers, utilizing the intersection of strategic programming and policy to lengthen the runway for thriving.
The prestigious Locke Innovative Leader Award “lifts up the work of spiritual entrepreneurs who envision new ways to serve their mission field and inspire others to join them in growing the impact of the church and nourishing their communities,” according to the Wesleyan Investive website.
Named after Wesleyan Investive President Tom Locke, the award aims to invest in “bold, enterprising leaders with inventive approaches to ministry.” In addition to the award recognition, the Locke Award includes an invitation to participate in a cohort with other awardees and a cash award to honor their work.
Coming so closely after her mother’s death, the award gave Gordon some breathing room.
Alisha Gordon and her daughter
“As a nonprofit leader, there’s so much riding on my ability to be present, fundraise, and run The Current Project. I was already behind the eight-ball in fundraising because during the two biggest giving moments of the entire year, I was caring for my mom while she was in hospice. Winning the award and cash prize gave me room to breathe and financial support while I was in the grieving process.”
“I'm really honored to be awarded the Tom Locke Innovative Leader award, not just because of the work, but because it gives me the same thing I try to give Black single moms at The Current Project – which is space to dream. The award gives me the financial, spiritual, mental kind of pause that a gift of that amount allows. It's particularly important to mention that, as a Black single mom doing work for Black single mothers, this opportunity really allows me to take a real pause and dream. I do not feel like I have to immediately go back into the hustle of doing what social entrepreneurs do. I can pace myself.”
The Locke awardee cohort also offers peer support, encouragement and understanding. The new Locke awardees were invited to an in-person convening in California, along with previous award winners. Gordon found peer support to be a meaningful part of the award.
Alisha Gordon with Invested Faith founder Dr. Amy Butler
“At Invested Faith, we often talk about how being a social entrepreneur is a very isolating and lonely experience; so knowing that they build in this opportunity for us to meet with other leaders is meaningful, and especially so because it’s in person. There’s something to that kind of built-in community that resonates with the model Invested Faith is trying to build – a community of people who have these shared worries.”
At Invested Faith, we are happy that Alisha is continuing to build a strong network of communities for Black single mothers. She is now consulting with us part-time, to build the Invested Faith Fellows network and create a strong support program for our Fellows, while at the same time continuing her work at The Current Project.
Two other Invested Faith Fellows, Cote Soerens and Kit Evans Ford are also Locke Innovative Leader Awardees, along with Invested Faith Advisor, De’Amon Harges.
To join in the celebration, watch the award live stream Sunday April 30 at 7pm Central.
