Rebuilding systems through community voice, youth leadership, and partnerships
Build 2 Lead is a Black-led nonprofit based in South King County, working to dismantle and rebuild systems, particularly in education, healthcare, and criminal justice—through community voice, youth leadership, and strategic partnerships. Our approach is rooted in three pillars:
Civic Activation – building youth power in advocacy and policy;
Entrepreneurship & Workforce – establishing pathways to economic mobility;
Healing & Wellness – transforming systems that have historically harmed BIPOC communities.
Across all three systems, we emphasize:
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Intergenerational leadership
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Culturally resonant care and support
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Community ownership of data, voice, and policy agendas
Join B2L for our 4th annual
Melanin and Medicine 2K26
Family Life Center – Federal Way
March 31 – April 2, 2026
This three-day experience is dedicated to Closing the G.A.P. in Access, Representation, and Wealth across healthcare systems. Since launching in 2023, Melanin and Medicine has become one of Build 2 Lead’s cornerstone initiatives, connecting Black and Brown youth with BIPOC healthcare professionals, nontraditional career pathways, and tangible opportunities for mentorship and workforce access.
MARCH 31
Documentary Premiere & Fireside Dialogue
We will kick off the experience with the premiere of “It’s In Me”, a powerful documentary amplifying BIPOC provider voices, followed by fireside chats and community dialogue exploring equity, identity, and leadership in healthcare systems.
APRIL 1
Melanin and Medicine Mixer
A celebratory evening honoring Black and Brown healthcare professionals, partners, and leaders. This space centers relationship-building, cross-sector collaboration, and the lived experiences of those actively shaping more equitable systems.
APRIL 2
Youth Experience Day
Our flagship youth-centered event featuring interactive workshops, mentorship connections, and hands-on learning across clinical, non-clinical, and allied health pathways—designed to move students from inspiration to action.
JOIN US!
Latest news from B2L
Students. Families. Communities. Systems.
We deliver youth learning modules and workshops to make visible more options for youth to consider, from attending college to being entrepreneurs and business owners. We provide a consistent bridge between the classroom and the families and communities that students return home to. We deliver community programs rooted in equitable leadership and advocacy. These are the building blocks for system-wide change.
We empower communities to change the system.
