Staying on the bold path: tips from Ford Foundation chief Darren Walker
Darren Walker and Ruth Simmons (Photo credit: Prairie View A&M University)

Staying on the bold path: tips from Ford Foundation chief Darren Walker

What’s the best thing about working in an organization with a big social mission? The mission. I’ve worked in such places; I’ve come to know many more of them as a journalist, and I’m starting this new LinkedIn newsletter as a way of championing what cause-minded leaders can do. 

Believe me: There’s nothing like the deep fulfillment of moving forward with work that the world truly needs.

What’s the hardest part? The moments when society’s failings seem so vast (and your resources seem so small) that fatigue, frustration and even a sense of hopelessness can set in. That’s the haunting territory of Tracy Kidder’s famous book “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” 

If you’re looking for a realistic way to keep moving forward – and aren’t we all? – Darren Walker would like to help. He’s president of the Ford Foundation, a $16 billion giant in philanthropy. His own journey through those challenges is deeply instructive, and on a recent trip to Texas, I got to hear his reflections in two fascinating settings.

“Where do we find hope?” Walker thundered last Saturday morning, as the graduation speaker at one of America’s leading historically Black universities: Prairie View A&M.  That’s him in the photo above, alongside Ruth Simmons, president of the Texas-based school.

Walker’s answer was beautifully layered. He started with historical figures who have faced the same struggles. Fannie Lou Hamer. Ida B. Wells. Barbara Jordan. They kept going, no matter what, and they ultimately won a place in history. If they could do it, at some level, we can, too. 

Find support in like-minded institutions, Walker added. In his commencement address, he spoke specifically about historically Black colleges and universities as “havens of our collective liberation.” 

What’s true about HBCUs extends to the communities of people who champion everything from environmental causes to children’s rights. This is where we connect with inspiring allies who help us keep moving forward. We are not alone.

Finally, Walker said, never let go of “that sacred, defining conviction that we are excellent.” That will give you the confidence to do what’s right, to lift others as you climb, and to build bridges. 

A few hours later, Walker reappeared in downtown Houston, for a more intimate dinnertime conversation with leaders in the PVA&M community. There’s no public text to those remarks, and I won’t be quoting his exact words. But Walker’s reflections on his own career – then and now – helped show how commencement-day principles can be turned into everyday assets.

Walker was born into tough circumstances, but he did not grow up alone. We heard a beautiful tribute to his mother, a former vocational nurse, who worked extra shifts in hospitals when Walker was a scholarship student at the University of Texas, so he could have a few dollars of spending money. Our own families may be the Fannie Hamers and Ida B. Wellses in our lives

Be stoic about the stops along the way, as you pick up the networks and clout that eventually might let you change the world. Walker’s reflections on his early stint as a corporate lawyer were funny, rueful and occasionally uneasy. What’s important is that he stayed just long enough to master the elite’s way of playing the game. Figure out the system, and you can use it for better ends.

Be bold, and be resourceful. Walker took us through several of his current day initiatives. He achieves some with stunning speed; others take longer to find the right allies. Yet his convictions run deep enough that he keeps hunting for new strategies that might pay off. There is always a way. 

We can’t all be Darren Walker, but we can learn a lot from his path and his persistence. If you’ve found ways to renew your strength in difficult times – or even if you’d just like some support from the rest of the LinkedIn community – share your take in the comments section below.

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But wait, there’s more! In each edition of this newsletter, look for bite-sized insights about resources here on LinkedIn that might brighten your day. To wit: 

Conversation of the week: What’s valuable – or troubling – about the rise of ESG as the acronym of the hour? Author Andrew Winston stirs the pot, and thousands of your fellow LinkedIn members are taking the debate even deeper. 

Opening doors for underrepresented talent. America’s college-to-career pipeline needs fixing, and Braven founder Aimée Eubanks Davis has built a uniquely powerful way of getting that done. She’s one of the newest additions to LinkedIn’s Influencer roster – and you can gain regular (free!) access to her insights here.

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If you’re intrigued by this newsletter, share it with your friends and encourage them to subscribe. I’m aiming to publish this every two weeks, getting the conversation going around some big ideas -- and finishing off the newsletter with an easy-to-use digest of LinkedIn resources.

Elizabeth M.

Poet. Private Adult English and ESL Educator. Semi-retired.

1y

Thank you for the invitation to this newsletter. I enjoy your work here.

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I would love to be a career counselor again 😃

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Wenona Graham, MBA, MSMgt.

Outstanding leader versed in marketing, communications, community outreach, non-profit, and economic development.

1y

What an amazing story! #hbcuproud

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Enjoyed and shared with our COO

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