The work of reparations can be heavy work. It carries the weight of history, the urgency of justice, and the daily challenges of organizing for change. Leaders in this movement—whether commissioners, nonprofit executives, clergy, or grassroots organizers—hold extraordinary responsibility, often while navigating the personal impact of the very harms they seek to repair.

The Braxton Institute created the Golden Repair Fellowship as a response to that reality. Golden Repair provides sanctuary and renewal for reparations leaders, equipping them with trauma stewardship tools, resiliency practices, and the moral imagination needed to sustain long-term leadership. It is a space to breathe, to heal, and to cultivate the capacity to continue forward without burning out.

In Summer 2025, our first national cohort of 10 Golden Repair Fellows completed the program. Together, they represented local campaigns, state policy initiatives, faith leadership, and national advocacy. From Lakeland descendants to national organizers, each Fellow carried both the weight of responsibility and the brilliance of vision. Over the course of the Fellowship, they found practices that restored their energy, strengthened their networks, and deepened their capacity to lead.

“Golden Repair provides sanctuary and renewal for reparations leaders, equipping them with trauma stewardship tools, resiliency practices, and the moral imagination needed to sustain long-term leadership.”

The impact of this first cohort is already visible. Fellows have formed ongoing peer networks that continue beyond the program. They are bringing new practices into their home communities—supporting coalitions, shaping policy, and advancing reparations campaigns with renewed clarity and steadiness. The waitlist for future cohorts is growing, a testament to the demand for leadership support that honors both the humanity and the calling of reparations leaders.

Golden Repair is not about doing more—it is about doing differently. It reminds us that repair begins within, and that the resilience of this movement depends on tending to its leaders as whole people. As we prepare for future cohorts, we celebrate the courage and commitment of our first 10 Fellows and the pathways they are opening for communities across the country. You can meet the Summer 2025 Golden Repair Fellows here.

At a time when reparations work is gaining momentum—from Lakeland to Annapolis, Washington, and beyond—Golden Repair ensures that those carrying the work forward have the renewal, sanctuary, and community they need to keep moving.