Rashida Govan is a Senior Fellow at the Forum for Community Solutions where she works to advance its Belonging, Meaning, Well Being and Purpose initiative through the translation of research on these constructs to meaningful technical assistance, reports, practical tools, and other materials for youth leaders, practitioners, philanthropy and policy makers. Rashida is an educator, scholar-activist and writer who has worked for over 25 years in education, policy advocacy and youth development. Rashida considers her research the academic complement to the organizing efforts of Black and Brown people in pursuit of more just and well communities of color. She uses her research to amplify the power of marginalized people and to center their voices, experiences and ideas to transform systems, institutions, and communities.
Rashida has spent much of her career cultivating safe and just spaces that promote healing, learning and movement building for youth, families and community. She is the founder and executive director of Project Butterfly New Orleans, an African-centered, girls rites of passage program that has served upwards of 350 girls since its inception in 2009. She formerly led the New Orleans Youth Alliance, where she created professional development series that addressed racial equity, trauma-informed practice and healing justice in youth development and education. Rashida also launched the NOYA Youth Leadership Fellowship, a program designed to prepare youth for leadership and consulting roles in youth programs and on systems level initiatives impacting young people and their families. In 2021, Rashida and the NOYA team launched the Reengagement Center, an entity that works to address youth disconnection for 16-24 year olds in New Orleans during the critical transition to adulthood. She also served as the Opportunity Youth collaborative leader for New Orleans’ opportunity youth systems’ efforts where she convened and coordinated youth, community, college, and agency leaders in a citywide strategy to reduce youth disconnection. Rashida has also served in policy roles at the Orleans Public Education Network and at the Urban League of Louisiana.
Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, Rashida spent ten years working in higher education in enrollment management and student affairs and has also served in adjunct professor roles at a number of institutions. Rashida is a proud graduate of Morgan State University, the University of Maryland and the University of New Orleans where she earned her Ph.D. in education leadership.
Dr. Rashida H. Govan
Senior Fellow BMWP, OYF
Rashida Govan is a Senior Fellow at the Forum for Community Solutions where she works to advance its Belonging, Meaning, Well Being and Purpose initiative through the translation of research on these constructs to meaningful technical assistance, reports, practical tools, and other materials for youth leaders, practitioners, philanthropy and policy makers. Rashida is an educator, scholar-activist and writer who has worked for over 25 years in education, policy advocacy and youth development. Rashida considers her research the academic complement to the organizing efforts of Black and Brown people in pursuit of more just and well communities of color. She uses her research to amplify the power of marginalized people and to center their voices, experiences and ideas to transform systems, institutions, and communities. Rashida has spent much of her career cultivating safe and just spaces that promote healing, learning and movement building for youth, families and community. She is the founder and executive director of Project Butterfly New Orleans, an African-centered, girls rites of passage program that has served upwards of 350 girls since its inception in 2009. She formerly led the New Orleans Youth Alliance, where she created professional development series that addressed racial equity, trauma-informed practice and healing justice in youth development and education. Rashida also launched the NOYA Youth Leadership Fellowship, a program designed to prepare youth for leadership and consulting roles in youth programs and on systems level initiatives impacting young people and their families. In 2021, Rashida and the NOYA team launched the Reengagement Center, an entity that works to address youth disconnection for 16-24 year olds in New Orleans during the critical transition to adulthood. She also served as the Opportunity Youth collaborative leader for New Orleans’ opportunity youth systems’ efforts where she convened and coordinated youth, community, college, and agency leaders in a citywide strategy to reduce youth disconnection. Rashida has also served in policy roles at the Orleans Public Education Network and at the Urban League of Louisiana. Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, Rashida spent ten years working in higher education in enrollment management and student affairs and has also served in adjunct professor roles at a number of institutions. Rashida is a proud graduate of Morgan State University, the University of Maryland and the University of New Orleans where she earned her Ph.D. in education leadership.