The 365 Leadership Summit, billed as the state’s premier professional development, community building and networking event, got its start thanks to a basketball game.
Madison365, a nonprofit media outlet focused on communities of color across Wisconsin, published its first list of Wisconsin’s most influential Black leaders in October 2015, just two months after launching. That list was a hit, prompting publisher Henry Sanders to put together a list of the most influential Latino leaders the next spring, and a second list of Black leaders in December 2016.
That second list featured more leaders – 44 of them – and caught the attention of the Milwaukee Bucks.
That year, the Bucks were scheduled to host a matinee game on January 16, 2017 – Martin Luther King, Jr Day. A member of the team’s community engagement team reached out to Sanders just before Christmas, asking if they could invite the people on the list to the game.
With only three weeks to plan, the 365 team brought veteran event planner Stephanie Díaz de León aboard. Working with the Bucks’ front office staff, the team put together a pregame lunch with team president Peter Feigin and other team leaders. The honorees then took a bus to the Bradley Center for the game. They were recognized on the court and halftime.
The Bucks didn’t win that day, but it was a victory nonetheless.
All told, about 50 people attended the event – and showed Sanders something surprising.
“What I learned through that was the power of people getting together and engaging, people who’ve never met before,” Sanders says. “I found out right away that leaders who should know each other don’t know each other. Bringing people together for that hour, two hours, just for a game, was impactful and we all left energized.”
Sanders and the 365 team were specifically energized to recreate the energy in that room. They hosted another event with the Bucks the next year, this time in the brand-new Fiserv Forum, and hosted another event with members of the Most Influential Latino Leaders list at Miller Park for the Milwaukee Brewers game.
But in the background, another idea was forming – a major, statewide conference, not just for socializing and networking, but to really exchange ideas and learn from each other. Sanders connected with Ho-Chunk Nation leaders, including then-president Wilfred Cleveland, who hosted the first Wisconsin Leadership Summit at the Nation’s hotel and event space near Wisconsin Dells in October 2018.
Nearly 400 people attended more than 20 panel sessions, enjoyed Indigenous cuisine and took in a local arts showcase.
“The WI Leadership Summit is an incredibly powerful event that I look forward to every year. Being able to share space with Black and brown leaders from across our state representing the array of public and private sectors is a unique opportunity for growth and networking.” – Shiva Bidar, VP and CDO, UW Health
The second annual summit took place at Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison, with the addition of the Community Choice Awards. People and organizations were nominated in a number of categories, and a statewide vote determined the winners.
“I always want to make sure that we highlight and get people the flowers that they deserve in real time,” Sanders says. “But also I wanted to make sure that we highlighted them, but let the community choose. Let the community say what they think.”
The Summit went virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and returned as a two-day in-person event rebranded as the 365 Leadership Summit with a “Family Reunion” theme at the Madison Concourse Hotel. This event also included a youth track and nearly 200 high school students from the Madison area.
The summit for me plays a vital role in cultivating a sense of community, relationship building and collaboration among leaders from diverse backgrounds. Its focus on innovation and practical solutions to pressing issues, whether in the non-profit sector, business realm, or personal spheres, is what distinguishes it. I firmly believe that platforms like these are essential for creating positive change and motivating others to lead with purpose. – Sehade Carter, Chief Development Officer, Urban Triage
Sanders says he wants to create a space for authenticity at the Summit.
“It’s important for at least just two days a year that you can be around your peers who are people of color, where you can actually say, ‘You know what? This is how I’m feeling. This is what I’m saying.’ And you don’t have to worry. You can be your authentic self,” he says. “You’re still in a room where there’s some disagreement, but it’s a disagreement where we’re coming from the same perspective.”
“Each year, it still surprises me how it impacts people,” Sanders adds. “These leaders who are doing wonderful things and are around awesome people all the time, they’re impacting things, but you can see when they get together, you can see how some of our leaders feel alone and isolated. It’s really good for them to be around their peers, where they can sit there, can be vulnerable and breathe a little bit like they’re at home, and have really authentic conversations with each other. I underestimated the power of getting people together, and how people can feel so energized from those conversations.”
The summit allows us an opportunity to have a space for Wisconsin’s Diverse leaders to network, converge and collaborate on strategies and ideas to help shape the future of leadership in the state. The event emphasizes the importance of representative voices to be seen, heard and celebrated. In my three summits, I have had multiple people share that they appreciated being in a space where they don’t feel like one of the few or only. – Juan Corpus, Vice President, New North
Asked who should come to the Summit, Sanders jokes, “I’m biased. I think everyone should come.”
But it’s true – the list of people who could benefit is long.
“if you’re an ally who wants to learn, you should definitely come,” Sanders says. “If you’re a person of color and you want to learn about leadership development, you want to learn about professional skills, you want to hear how some people are dealing with challenges in their careers, if you want to learn how to network. If you want to just breathe a little bit and relax where you know you can just be yourself, this is a perfect place to come. And I would say also, if you’re a student, college or high school, you should definitely come. This might be one of the few times – at least in Wisconsin – that you’re going to be in a room around majority leaders of color, who are doctors, lawyers, teachers – vast different backgrounds of people, when you get to actually talk to them, be next to them, ask questions. And it might be one or two times that you actually get to be in a room like that, ever in your young life.”
“The Wisconsin Leadership Summit is a remarkable event that brings together passionate leaders and advocates from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of community and collaboration. It’s inspiring to be part of such a dynamic gathering, where we continue to strengthen the diversity across the state of Wisconsin.” – Nicole Sandoval, Latino Community Liaison, Madison College
The Seventh Annual 365 Leadership Summit and Community Choice Awards are set for October 28, 2024. Registration is $149 with discounts for students as well as government and nonprofit employees. Visit 365LeadershipSummit.com for more information.
“I would like to thank Madison 365 for their commitment to the Dane County area as the host of this exceptional Summit. As a presenter at multiple Wisconsin Leadership Summits / 365 Leadership Summits, I have witnessed a valuable experience for participants and presenters. The Verona Area School District has been proud to have students attend to learn about the many ways they can engage in their communities and build their leadership skills. As a presenter, I always enjoy fulfilling what I see as my responsibility to help develop leaders by sharing my experiences, engaging in conversations with attendees, and networking.” – Dr. Tremayne Clardy, Superintendent, Verona Area School District
I’ve attended multiple Leadership Summits in person and virtually. I’ve also attended the Northeast Wisconsin Leadership Summit. I leave every summit better informed and better connected to other professionals, leaders of color, and allies. Most importantly I leave invigorated. The topics are vast and regardless of your vocation, you are able to find panels that are meaningful and relevant. Lastly, the warmth of the community created at the summits is unmatched. I see people in the community in Northeast Wisconsin that I met at a summit and it is always a nice reunion. Aside from that, it is important to have these networks, outlets, and events to continue to build unity and support. – Dr. Laura Laitinen-Warren, Director of Training and Resources, Oneida Nation
