In the late 1990s, a group of women in Washington, DC drawing on their rich and diverse backgrounds came together in an effort to highlight, elevate and support women of color in community development.  Led by founders - Lisa Hall, Susan Jones, Lessie Powell Evans and Oramenta Newsome, this effort was intentionally developed to support dynamic women of color to successfully lead in the community development arena.

In 2018, Women of Color in Community Development (WCCD) grew from an informal network to a membership organization when founding board members Tabitha Atkins, Marie Bibbs, Kieva Dennis, Donna Gambrell, Alyia Gaskins, Heather Raspberry, and Maia Shanklin Roberts obtained the organization's 501(c)(3) status and created programming to support the personal and professional trajectories of women of color in the community development arena. 

Our Founders

From left to right: Lessie Powell Evans, Lisa Hall, Ornamenta Newsome, and Susan Jones

WCCD Leadership

The vision, commitment, and thought leadership of WCCD’s Board of Directors shape and advance the organization’s strategic direction. Representing the breadth of the community and economic development field, each director brings deep expertise, lived experience, and a shared commitment to cultivating women of color as leaders—strengthening the capacity of those driving meaningful and lasting community transformation.