Leadership takes many forms, finding curious moments and topics to investigate and challenge. Leaders support others in visible and invisible ways, empowering their communities and collaborators, and deeply rooted leaders often don’t get the appreciation for all the work they do.

On June 11, 2018, Emerging Arts Professionals SFBA, with support from the San Francisco Arts Commission, launched the Ebony McKinney Arts Leadership Award: $4,000 unrestricted funds to support the powerful work of an individual benefitting San Francisco Bay Area. The award is a collective effort to recognize arts and culture administrators who are addressing critical issues facing San Francisco’s arts community and to continue the work of Ebony McKinney, whose deep commitment to cultivating leaders of color and increasing equitable access to the arts in the Bay Area made a lasting positive impact locally and nationally before her death in July 2017.

The family of Ebony McKinney greatly appreciate the creation of this award to honor her legacy in such an inspiring way. We can think of no greater gift than a grant to other arts administrators driven as she was by the goals of empowering those in the arts community to help deserving artists. — Ron McKinney