Obama leaders carrying the legacy of Juneteenth

2024-2025 Obama Foundation Leader

Author and education advocate Jamila Thomas has spent 20 years supporting our most underserved communities. Jamila is the current chief development officer at VolunteerNow, an organization that mobilizes more than 300,000 volunteers in North Texas. In addition to this, Jamila also served as senior vice president of Big Brothers Big Sisters and ran outreach pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Dallas.

Notably, Jamila established the Racial Equity Office for the Dallas, TX, Independent School District. While there, she developed programs designed to close the opportunity gap for students. She also wrote the African American Studies curriculum for the Texas State Board of Education, working with communities to ensure united passage.

What Legacy Means To Jamila:

“My career has focused on building culturally responsive policies, closing achievement gaps, and advancing racial equity—values that are foundational to both Juneteenth and the broader movement for justice and equality. 

These same values are central to President Obama’s legacy. President Obama’s leadership has consistently emphasized hope, unity, and the power of collective action to overcome challenges. His administration and ongoing work through the Obama Foundation have inspired a new generation to stand resilient in the face of injustice, to build stronger communities, and to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.”