LEGACY RISING ALUMNI AWARD

Recognize the impact already being made.

Legacy Rising is how we recognize Black Brilliance alumni whose leadership, contribution, service, creativity, and care are already shaping the people and communities around them. Nominate yourself or recognize a peer.

START A NOMINATION

Recognition that carries something forward.

Each year, three Legacy Rising finalists are recognized publicly and one recipient receives a $1,500 award. The award celebrates what an alumnus has already made possible and invests in what they want to build, pursue, or strengthen next.

NOMINATIONS OPEN

September 1

NOMINATIONS CLOSE

December 1

THREE FINALISTS

Announced in July of the following year

ONE RECIPIENT

Revealed at Black Brilliance Homecoming in August of the following year

Who can be nominated?

Legacy Rising is open to former Black Brilliance participants who served as a student facilitator or as a member of a school conference planning committee. General conference attendance alone does not establish eligibility.

  • At least 18 years old by the nomination deadline

  • No longer enrolled in secondary school

  • May live anywhere; there is no geographic restriction

  • May nominate themselves or be nominated by another eligible Black Brilliance alumnus

  • Does not need to be an approved Alumni Network member before nomination

Impact does not require a formal title, a certain income, an organization, or public recognition. We are interested in how people lead, contribute, serve, create, and strengthen community in the lives they actually live.

Built on peer recognition.

Legacy Rising nominations may come only from the nominee or another eligible Black Brilliance alumnus. A peer nominator may submit before their Alumni Network membership is approved, but their alumni eligibility must be confirmed. If we cannot verify the nominator’s eligibility, or their membership request is declined, the nomination will be considered invalid.

What happens after a nomination?

WE VERIFY THE NOMINATION

Black Brilliance confirms the nominator’s and nominee’s alumni eligibility.

THE NOMINEE RESPONDS

Every valid nominee is invited to confirm that they wish to be considered, share their perspective, and describe how they would use the award.

FINALISTS ARE SELECTED

The selection committee reviews complete nominations, confirms three finalists, and selects one recipient.

What can the award support?

The recipient may use the award for personal development, education or training, a creative project, a business or professional goal, a community initiative, or another use approved by the selection committee.

The proposed use is reviewed only to confirm eligibility. It is not competitively scored.

If selected

Legacy Rising is recognition, support and a way of preserving our shared story.

If you become a finalist, we’ll work with you to document your journey through an interview and, where relevant, photography, video or archival materials. Participation in this storytelling process is part of being a finalist. We’ll discuss the specific uses with you and obtain separate media consent before publishing your story.

The recipient will also submit a short reflection and simple expense summary showing how the award was used.

The recipient will be invited to serve as Legacy Rising Ambassador for one year, with optional opportunities to participate in Homecoming, alumni conversations, student engagement and mentorship.

Nominate a Black Brilliance alumnus.


You may nominate yourself or recognize a peer. Plan for approximately 12–15 minutes. Nominations close December 1.


If you are nominating another alumnus, complete the full nomination based on what you know about their work. If the nomination is eligible, we’ll contact them directly to confirm their information, interest and proposed use of funds before the nomination moves forward.

This form cannot be saved partway through. You may want to review the questions and prepare your longer responses before beginning.


SECTION ONE: ABOUT THE NOMINATION

Nomination type

If you are nominating yourself, some information will appear twice because the form records both the nominee and the person submitting the nomination.

We use this email to invite the nominee to respond if the nomination is valid.

YOUR INFORMATION

Black Brilliance role

The selection committee will always know who submitted the nomination. Leave this unchecked for a self-nomination.

Give us the clearest version of why this person belongs in the Legacy Rising conversation. You will have space below to describe their impact in more detail. Maximum: 150 words.

SECTION TWO: TELL US ABOUT THEIR IMPACT

If you’re nominating yourself, tell us about your connection to the work and community you’re describing. Maximum: 150 words.

Describe what they have done, who or what has been affected, and why it matters. Maximum: 300- 500 words.

Which Black Brilliance values does this nominee embody?

Choose the values that best reflect how this person contributes, creates, leads, serves, or strengthens community.

This could be a moment, achievement, act of service, project, decision, or way they have shown up for others. Maximum: 200 words.

Maximum: 150 words.

Website, article, portfolio, social post, project page, or another relevant link.

Outside reference — self-nominations only

If you are nominating yourself, provide one person outside Black Brilliance who can briefly confirm the impact you described. This may be a colleague, community partner, supervisor, collaborator, mentor or someone directly familiar with your work.

Required for self-nominations; leave blank for peer nominations.

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee that it will proceed to committee review. Black Brilliance verifies eligibility and invites every valid nominee to complete a separate response.

Nominate a Black Brilliance alumnus.


You may nominate yourself or recognize a peer. Plan for approximately 12–15 minutes. Nominations close December 1.


If you are nominating another alumnus, complete the full nomination based on what you know about their work. If the nomination is eligible, we’ll contact them directly to confirm their information, interest and proposed use of funds before the nomination moves forward.

This form cannot be saved partway through. You may want to review the questions and prepare your longer responses before beginning.


SECTION ONE: ABOUT THE NOMINATION

Nomination type

If you are nominating yourself, some information will appear twice because the form records both the nominee and the person submitting the nomination.

We use this email to invite the nominee to respond if the nomination is valid.

YOUR INFORMATION

Black Brilliance role

The selection committee will always know who submitted the nomination. Leave this unchecked for a self-nomination.

Give us the clearest version of why this person belongs in the Legacy Rising conversation. You will have space below to describe their impact in more detail. Maximum: 150 words.

SECTION TWO: TELL US ABOUT THEIR IMPACT

If you’re nominating yourself, tell us about your connection to the work and community you’re describing. Maximum: 150 words.

Describe what they have done, who or what has been affected, and why it matters. Maximum: 300- 500 words.

Which Black Brilliance values does this nominee embody?

Choose the values that best reflect how this person contributes, creates, leads, serves, or strengthens community.

This could be a moment, achievement, act of service, project, decision, or way they have shown up for others. Maximum: 200 words.

Maximum: 150 words.

Website, article, portfolio, social post, project page, or another relevant link.

Outside reference — self-nominations only

If you are nominating yourself, provide one person outside Black Brilliance who can briefly confirm the impact you described. This may be a colleague, community partner, supervisor, collaborator, mentor or someone directly familiar with your work.

Required for self-nominations; leave blank for peer nominations.

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee that it will proceed to committee review. Black Brilliance verifies eligibility and invites every valid nominee to complete a separate response.

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