Partners and supporters of ALL Chicago (Academy for Local Leadership) gathered recently to celebrate the launch of the Governance Compass, a new, nonpartisan framework designed to support Chicago Public Schools’ transition to an elected school board. This framework is steeped in two and a half years of research and community engagement.

Under the vision of Founding Executive Director and Surge Alum Bridget Lee, ALL Chicago is dedicated to strengthening school board governance and ensuring every CPS student has the resources and support to thrive. The Governance Compass launch event highlighted more than just a vital new tool, however. It served as a testament to the expanding footprint of the Surge movement. 

Captured in a single photo were nearly a decade of Surge alumni working across every corner of the education ecosystem: funders, nonprofit executives, strategic advisors, and community advocates.

Pictured, from left to right, are Surge Alumni Jessica Sullivan Wilson, Aurora Flores Garcia, Janine Franklin, Bridget Lee, Rudy Lozano, Destiny Ortega, and Makinde Adedapo.

This gathering illustrates the ripple effect of the Surge Institute’s mission. When leaders of color are equipped, connected, and elevated, they build coalitions that redefine governance, champion community empowerment, and build equitable systems from the ground up.