Why We Built Elara: A Letter from Founder & CEO Jamaal Burton
May 15, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Why We Built Elara: A Letter from Founder & CEO Jamaal Burton
New York, NY — [May 12, 2025] — As the Elara Institute officially begins its public journey, its founder, Jamaal Burton, shares a personal letter outlining the mission, urgency, and long-term vision of the organization — and the deeper "why" behind it.
A Message from Our Founder
To build something lasting, you have to start with what’s been forgotten.
I founded the Elara Institute because I didn’t want to wait for a moment to pass — I wanted to build a system that lasts.
In boardrooms, on campaign trails, and in conversations with students across the country, I kept hearing the same thing: talent was never the issue. Infrastructure was.
We’ve always had brilliance — but what was missing was scaffolding. The kind of scaffolding that lifts students from HBCUs into spaces of power and purpose, without asking them to erase where they came from to get there.
Elara is not a charity. It’s not a project. It’s a platform.
We’re here to create pipelines that work, partnerships that last, and leadership that looks like us — not just for today, but for the decades to come. And we’re doing it by designing systems: fellowships, scholarships, convenings, and coalitions that allow Black students and Black institutions to thrive.
We’re building something that doesn’t center pity. It centers potential.
And we’re not doing it alone.
In just a short time, we’ve:
Built an elite fellowship for HBCU students and alumni committed to leading at the highest levels of business, policy, and culture
Raised funds through intimate dinners and large-scale events that convene real power players across industry and identity
Launched bi-weekly Fireside Chats that bring global thinkers into conversation with the next generation
Created platforms where legacy meets innovation — and where Black futures are fully funded, not just imagined
But this is just the beginning.
Elara is a long game.
For the donors who see the gaps in how we fund equity.
For the partners who know representation isn’t enough.
For the students who need not just inspiration — but access.
We’re building for them. With them.
And we hope you’ll join us.
With purpose,
Jamaal Burton
Founder & CEO
Elara Institute
About Elara Institute
The Elara Institute is a national nonprofit building infrastructure for the future of Black leadership through education, policy, and equity-focused investment. Centered on the legacy and impact of HBCUs, Elara runs fellowships, convenings, and leadership programs that equip the next generation to lead across industries and institutions.
Visit www.elarainstitute.org or follow @ElaraInstitute to learn more.
Media Inquiries:
impact@elarainstitute.org
