Nakea S. Barksdale
Candidate for National Vice President
Reimagining The National Drifters Incorporated through intentional programming for growth, sustainability, unity and excellence.
The Visionary Leader
I received an invitation to join The National Drifters, Incorporated in the fall of 2010 after receiving an invitation from the late Kimberly Scales Hicks of the Gary Chapter. Her passion for sisterhood, service, and purposeful programming shaped my early understanding of what true commitment looks like. Following her passing, I made a personal commitment to honor her legacy through intentional leadership and meaningful community engagement.
In 2011, I became a proud member of the Gary (IN) Chapter, where my service journey truly began. Over the years, I have held numerous leadership positions, including two terms as Chapter Vice President, two terms as President, one term as Treasurer, and several terms as a National Convention Delegate. Each role strengthened my leadership skills and reinforced my belief that leadership is not defined by title, but by impact, accountability, and the ability to elevate those around us.
My service expanded to the national level with my appointment to the National Executive Board as National Public Relations Chair by Immediate Past National President Donna L. Roderick, serving in that capacity for four years. Today, I continue to support our national mission as Chair of the National Branding Committee under National Public Relations Chair Sally Trammer Ballard. I have also contributed through service on the National Nominating and National Program Committees.
Professionally, I have worked with several national membership organizations, supporting program development, membership recruitment and retention, member engagement, and organizational sustainability during periods of growth and transition. These experiences strengthened my conviction that successful organizations evolve through intentional strategy, strong leadership, and an unwavering commitment to their mission and values.
My dedication to community impact extends beyond organizational leadership. As the founder of Urban Health Suite, a public health education organization that teaches individuals how to become better healthcare consumers and Harriet’s Hearts, an organization that recognizes individuals doing "Good Deeds" throughout their communities, I remain committed to service, advocacy, and building healthier, stronger communities through meaningful engagement and measurable outcomes.
I stand firmly rooted in the belief that the future of our sisterhood remains bright. With vision, purpose, strategy, and intentional programming and leadership, I am confident that we can continue the communities we serve. My service journey has prepared me, for such a time as this.
National Vice President
Core Commitment
Intentional leadership means knowing the role before you step into it.
The National Vice President oversees the programs that are the heartbeat of The National Drifters Incorporated:
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Now Black Woman Award,
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Education and Scholarship,
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Voter Registration and Education,
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Drifters Emergency Scholarship Grant (DESG),
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Community Support and Service,
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Founder's Day,
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Corals, and
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National Day of Service
I am running because I am ready to lead these programs on day one with purpose, with strategy, and with deep respect for what each one means to our sisterhood.
My campaign is built on one clear vision: Reimagining Programming and Leadership. Not dismantling what 70 years of extraordinary women built — but having the honest, courageous conversations about how we sustain what is working, strengthen what can be better and elevate this organization into its next chapter with purpose and intention.
Candidate's Statement
The National Drifters Executive Board (NDEB) Core Commitment
The National Vice President does not lead alone.
As an elected member of the National Drifters Executive Board, I will take my seat at that table as a committed partner to every board member working to advance this organization's mission.
My commitment to the NDEB is grounded in three non-negotiables:
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Transparent governance, so that every decision made at the national level reflects the trust our members have placed in us;
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Fiscal growth and sustainability, so that the financial foundation of this organization is strong enough to support our programs, our chapters, and our future;
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Organizational growth, expanding our reach, strengthening our chapters, and positioning The National Drifters Incorporated for the next generation of women who will carry this mission forward.
Intentional leadership at the board level is not about individual ambition. It is about collective progress and I am ready to move this mission forward alongside every member of the National Drifters Executive Board as we Reimagine Programming and Leadership together.
THE ACTION PLAN
Action One - Sustain. Evaluate. Elevate: Developing Program Guidance for Chapters
I understand that what has worked and was defined as our program pillars throughout the years may or may not represent who we are and where we are as an organization today. In speaking with many of our members, you indicated that we've become removed from the social platform of our organization. Some of you mentioned that you are okay with the delivery of humanitarian and civic service pillars, you just want them to be more defined with practical guidance for execution. Many of the Drifters sisters have mentioned wanting more meaningful social engagement at convention. My goal is to work with the sisterhood in developing practical opportunities for social engagement and program guidance toolkits for every NVP-led program, establishing clear program pillars that connect every initiative to our mission and consulting directly with chapters to evaluate, strengthen and elevate the programs our membership has told us matter most while not neglecting our social foundation. Because when sisters connect socially, we can also become a force within our committees.
Action:
What I will do:
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Develop comprehensive program guidance/toolkits for every NVP-led program. Working with the program committee, we will create practical, chapter-ready resources that go beyond the National Handbook to provide realistic, step-by-step guidance for planning, executing and evaluating each program successfully
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Consult directly with chapters to evaluate our existing programs because I have heard from our members. I know which programs are working, which ones need strengthening, and I have listened to the newer recommendations our membership has brought forward. That feedback will not sit in a suggestion box, it will shape how we lead our programs going forward
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Establish clear program pillars that organize every initiative under a defined area of focus, creating a unified framework that connects our programs to our mission and makes it easier for chapters to lead their work with purpose and intention
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Define the program home for every initiative under the following pillars:
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Public Policy - Voter Registration and Education
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Mentorship - Corals Program
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Health and Human Services - Wellness Initiatives
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Education and Scholarship - Drifters Emergency Student Grant and Drifters Scholarship Program
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Social and Civic Impact - National Day of Service and Community Support
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Sisterhood and Legacy - Now Black Woman Award and Founder's Day, including the establishment of a unified, organization-wide day of celebration observed across all 38 chapters
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Create standardized planning timelines and checklists so chapter leaders have a repeatable, proven roadmap for successful program execution year after year
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Create at least one annual social event or humanitarian service initiative for our Driftwoods aside from National Convention activities
Intentional leadership means being willing to ask the hard questions, listen to the honest answers, and act in the best interest of this sisterhood. I am ready to have those conversations. I am ready to do that work. And I am ready to lead these programs forward with the care, the strategy, and the collective wisdom of the women who make The National Drifters Incorporated great.
Action Two - One Sisterhood. One Voice. One Day of Purpose.
National Impact Day
The National Drifters Incorporated has always shown up for its communities. As national vice president, I am committed to taking that showing up to a new level creating a dedicated, unified National Impact Day that positions our organization as a collective force for change across every city, every region and every chapter we represent. This Impact Day can play a powerful role in brand recognition across the United States, especially where we have local chapters. But it will also bring awareness to our organization in states where we don't currently have a sister chapter.
Action:
What I will do:
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Consult with chapters, full membership and program committee to determine the most meaningful structure for Impact Day whether it is held in alignment with the existing National Day of Service, designated as a National Drifters holiday observed organization-wide, or established as a standalone day on the national calendar that belongs exclusively to our mission and our moment
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Define a rotating annual Impact Day focus tied to the issues that matter most to our members and the communities we serve. Potential focus areas include:
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Mental Health Awareness
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Legislative Day on the Hill
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Voter Registration and Education Day
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Education and Scholarship Awareness Day
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Health and Wellness Day
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Mentorship and Legacy Day
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Women's Economic Empowerment Day
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Supporting Military Wives/Female Partners
In addition, working alongside the program committee, we will:
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Create a National Impact Day playbook - a chapter-ready toolkit that includes a planning timeline, marketing templates, talking points, community partnership guidance and reporting tools so every chapter can participate fully regardless of size or resources
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Measure and report our collective impact - establishing a national reporting structure that captures the reach, participation and outcomes of every chapter's Impact Day activities, so we can tell our story with data and demonstrate to the communities we serve and the organizations that support us exactly what The National Drifters Incorporated is capable of when we move together
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Leverage Impact Day for national visibility - coordinating media outreach, social media amplification and community partnerships that position The National Drifters Incorporated as a nationally recognized force for service, advocacy and sisterhood on a single, powerful day
Action Three - Stronger Together: Building the Bridges That Advance Our Mission
Strategic Partnerships & Community Alliances
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As national vice president, I am committed to building purposeful, strategic partnerships that expand our reach, strengthen our programs and position this organization as a vital and visible force within the broader landscape of African American women's leadership, civic engagement and community impact.
Action:
What I will do:
- Develop a national corporate partnership strategy that identifies and pursues relationships with African American-owned businesses, Fortune 500 diversity and inclusion programs and mission-aligned corporate partners who can provide financial support, in-kind resources and programmatic collaboration for our initiatives
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Create tiered sponsorship and partnership opportunities - offering corporate partners meaningful, visible ways to invest in our programs at the national and chapter level, from scholarship funding and Impact Day sponsorship to event partnerships and branded community initiatives
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Establish a Sisters at the Table convening - an annual or biannual gathering of women's organizations at the national or regional level to align on shared priorities, share best practices and build the kind of cross-organizational relationships that advance our communities beyond what any single organization can accomplish alone. Define a rotating annual Impact Day focus tied to the issues that matter most to our members and the communities we serve.
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Build chapter-level community partnership frameworks - providing every chapter with guidance and tools to identify, engage and formalize relationships with community-based organizations in their local markets that align with our program pillars, from health and human services to education and public policy
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Establish national partnerships with community anchors - including HBCUs, urban league affiliates, NAACP chapters, community health centers and faith-based organizations - that provide our chapters with ready-made networks for Impact Day collaboration, program delivery and community outreach
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Create a national community partner registry - a shared, accessible database of vetted community partners organized by region and program pillar so chapters are not starting from scratch when building local relationships
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Meet Nakea - Join a Conversation with Nakea S. Barksdale
Moments
Moments from my years as a Drifter
Join the Campaign and Get In Touch
Have questions or want to show your support? Send me a message below.
nakea@nakea4nvp.org
Phone
1.219.455.8226