This year, Keecha Harris and Associates, Inc. (KHA) marked a milestone—our 25th Anniversary—with a joyful celebration. The evening was not just a reflection of our legacy, but a glimpse into the bold, audacious future we are creating together. From the moment guests entered to the uplifting sounds of Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “We Are One,” the energy in the room was undeniable. Invitees included leaders from our client ecosystem, such as Wells Fargo and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. 

The celebration began with a heartfelt welcome from Olivia Pennington and Khadija Jahfiya, who shared highlights since KHA’s founding in 1999.  Our clients cumulatively represent over $340 billion in assets, and our work has centered on moving resources and power to Black, Brown, and Indigenous-led movements—leading to real change in communities, systems, and lives. As Khadija so beautifully put it, this celebration was not just about reflecting on our accomplishments, but about putting relationships before task (which has always been at the heart of KHA’s mission.)

Throughout the evening, we honored key contributors to our journey, including KHA associates, core consultants, and those who provide day-to-day support to our CEO, Keecha Harris. A spoken poetry piece by Sha’Condria Sibley, a New Orleans-based poet, helped us remember our “why” – and the power of our Southern, rural, Black roots in creating the conditions for racial equity.  

One of the most moving parts of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural North Star Award to Joseph Sciortino, Executive Director of the Schmidt Family Foundation. Joseph spoke powerfully about the impact of KHA’s work in helping their foundation move philanthropic dollars to BIPOC-led environmental movements, as well as the personal transformation he experienced from this work. 

As Keecha herself reflected on 25 years of planting seeds, nurturing relationships, and pushing forward with a vision of racial equity and justice, the room was filled with an overwhelming sense of possibility. Her words left us energized for the future, reminding us that our work is far from over. We left the evening with excitement for what’s next—a bright future filled with progress, connection, and love.

Our celebration event was preceded by a 4-day Team Retreat to reflect on the last 25 years and strategize for what’s next. After all, KHA does this work first as an inside job. We incorporated many of the things our clients love about working with us into our Team Retreat including: creating tailored experiences based on strengths and needs, being both practical and participatory, and balancing “being” with “doing” in racial equity and justice work. The agenda was balanced with discussions about project governance, establishing connective tissue between business development and operations, and connecting to industry trends … as well as yoga, somatics, and creating space to be in relationship with each other during this 25-year milestone.  

Here’s to the next 25 years of supporting mission-driven organizations in operationalizing racial equity transformation work! Thank you for being part of it.