![LEAD-1 Picture of a family with caramel skin and dark brown hair; the tallest adult is wearing glasses with short hair and a light grey zip up sweater holding one child wearing a maroon shirt smiling. Second adult with long hair a black shirt and white blazer smiling with hand on shoulder of second child who is standing with a maroon shirt on. Family against a colorful mural.](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/LEAD-1.jpg)
LEAD Program
Leadership Engagement and Advocacy Development
Empowering people of color with disabilities and their parents through training and engagement opportunities.
The LEAD program provides communities of color with increased access to disability education and resources to account for the significance of institutionalized oppression and white supremacy on their outcomes.
LEAD Program
Leadership Engagement and Advocacy Development
Empowering people of color with disabilities and their parents through training and engagement opportunities.
The LEAD program provides communities of color with increased access to disability education and resources to account for the significance of institutionalized oppression and white supremacy on their outcomes.
Strategic Priorities
![Hands-Berry Purple circle with a white outline image of 3 open palm hands](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hands-Berry.png)
Building Efficacy and Capacity
Build the efficacy and capacity of MDRC to be a leader in the development and implementation of work to dismantle institutionalized white supremacy and cultivate a culture of equitable transformation for the sector.
![PersonPlant-Orange silhouette of seed sprouting from soil with a human silhouette at the top of the stem](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PersonPlant-Orange.png)
Cultivate and Strengthen
Cultivate and strengthen individuals, through relationship-based activity and topic-based workshops, to serve as advocates for themselves and others.
![Visibility-Teal silhouette of human with circle radiating out from the head](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Visibility-Teal.png)
Enhance Visibility
Enhance the visibility of people of color in disability rhetoric, training, and storytelling.
Strategic Priorities
Building Efficacy
and Capacity
Build the efficacy and capacity of MDRC to be a leader in the development and implementation of work to dismantle institutionalized white supremacy and cultivate a culture of equitable transformation for the sector.
Cultivate and Strengthen
Cultivate and strengthen individuals, through relationship-based activity and topic-based workshops, to serve as advocates for themselves and others.
Enhance
Visibility
Enhance the visibility of people of color in disability rhetoric, training, and storytelling.
![icon of desktop computer with play button on screen](/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/VideoPlay-LEAD-White.png)
Visit Our Video Library
Learn more about conversations at the intersection
of disability by checking out our video library.
Disability Identity
Visit Our Video Library
Learn more about conversations at the intersection of disability by checking out our video library.
LEAD Program Staff
![A woman with brown skin and long dark brown braids positioned with her hands crossed and smiling while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing black glasses and a black long sleeve blouse.](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ajaune-819x1024.jpg)
Ajaunè Thomas
![Black and white headshot of Feliece Turner, a Black woman with short black hair in an afro style. Feliece is sitting on steps with a plant behind her. Feliece is facing the camera with one hand on her chin and is smiling. She is wearing a t-shirt, cardigan and silver hoop earrings](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Feliece.jpg)
Feliece Turner
![[Image description: a latina woman with long dark blue hair. Priscilla is looking directly at the camera, smiling. She is wearing black framed glasses. End of image description.]](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1737904992837795243.jpg)
Priscilla Cano
![A person with dark brown skin and curly black hair smiling in front of a white background. They are wearing a white turtleneck sweater and a light blue denim jacket](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Tameka-683x1024.jpg)
Tameka Citchen-Spruce
![A woman with brown skin and long dark brown braids positioned with her hands crossed and smiling while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing black glasses and a black long sleeve blouse.](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ajaune-819x1024.jpg)
Ajaunè Thomas
![Black and white headshot of Feliece Turner, a Black woman with short black hair in an afro style. Feliece is sitting on steps with a plant behind her. Feliece is facing the camera with one hand on her chin and is smiling. She is wearing a t-shirt, cardigan and silver hoop earrings](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Feliece.jpg)
Feliece Turner
![[Image description: a latina woman with long dark blue hair. Priscilla is looking directly at the camera, smiling. She is wearing black framed glasses. End of image description.]](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1737904992837795243.jpg)
Priscilla Cano
![A person with dark brown skin and curly black hair smiling in front of a white background. They are wearing a white turtleneck sweater and a light blue denim jacket](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Tameka-683x1024.jpg)
Tameka Citchen-Spruce
Our Funding
LEAD was established by funding from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. LEAD work is currently funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council and the Centers for Disease Control in partnership with Community Catalyst.
Donate
MDRC is partnered with
Network For Good.
Network For Good allows you
to choose how and when to donate.
![DonateGroup A group of MDRC Program Participants posing for a picture. They are wearing multicolored t-shirts that read “Feisty & Non-Compliant” Two people are in front of the other participant sitting in red and blue wheelchairs. Other participants stand behind them raising one hand and smiling.](https://mymdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DonateGroup.jpg)
Donate
MDRC is partnered with
Network for Good.
Network for Good allows you
to choose how and when you donate.