A Trailblazer, Innovator, and Thought Leader

 

Named one of “America’s Leaders of Change” by the National Urban Fellows program, Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim is used to blazing a trail. A first-generation college student, Qaadirah went on to co-found and lead The Future Foundation, an educational non profit aimed at helping students achieve their educational and professional goals, breaking the cycle of generational poverty, and dismantling systems of injustice that marginalize people and communities.

After almost two decades serving the community through nonprofit work, she pivoted to another first: Serving as Chief Equity Officer in Atlanta’s first-ever Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. In that role, she worked with city leadership to develop progressive policies and programs addressing issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, focusing on areas including economic and workforce mobility, housing affordability, health, education, youth engagement, and LGBTQ affairs. While launching and overseeing a city-wide equity task force with 18 department commissioners and directors, she also spearheaded the development of a children’s savings account program, and overhauled the city’s branding to enhance Atlanta’s reputation as an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place to live.

 

Finding Common Ground Across Sectors

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Then, a new challenge called: Having served as a leader in the worlds of education, the nonprofit sector, and government, Qaadirah turned her attention to the private sector,  joining BlackRock as the Head of Community Strategy for the BlackRock Atlanta Innovation Hub. Along with leading BlackRock’s social impact efforts in and around the greater Atlanta region, she is building the BlackRock brand in the southeast, working to ensure a diverse hiring pipeline for the global firm, and amplifying BlackRock’s impact in the Atlanta community. 

Qaadirah's extensive experience working across multiple sectors has honed her abilities to  unite diverse stakeholders around a shared purpose, driving significant impact on both community well-being and business success. A former U.S. Air Force Reservist who remains committed to helping others reach their full potential, Qaadirah is an active board member for organizations ranging from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University to the Promise All Children Thrive Advisory Committee (PACT). Her work across sectors and among boards, committees, and organizations has taught Qaadirah that the only thing she enjoys more than blazing a trail is working with others to create new opportunities and outcomes together.

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