Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle

What Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle does

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) is a Baltimore-based grassroots think-tank founded in August 2010 as a Limited Liability Corporation by six co-founders — Adam J. Jackson, Candace Handy, Shawna Murray Browne, Dayvon Love, Deverick Murray, and Lawrence Grandpre — several of whom were members of the 2008 CEDA National Debate Championship team. The organization advances the public policy interests of Black people in Baltimore through youth leadership development (centered on policy debate training), political advocacy at the Baltimore City and Maryland state level, and autonomous intellectual innovation rooted in a Pan-African analytical framework. Its core services include consulting, African-centered research, and speaking engagements, supported by initiatives such as the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (a community-centered grant-making body funded by 3% of city property taxes), the New Timbuktu Seminars professional development program, and the Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District. LBS also produces three podcasts, an annual Legislative Report Card, and recurring publications, and it has been a driving force behind several Maryland policy outcomes including Christopher's Law (2014), the BCYF's permanent establishment (2020), cannabis reform (2023), and the creation of a Maryland reparations commission (2025).

LBS operates a diversified but small revenue model. Direct donations and a tiered sustainer program (monthly contributions from $5 to $100) provide recurring support, while a bi-annual Asante Celebration gala generates episodic fundraising through tiered sponsorship packages. Supplementary income is earned from an online merchandise shop (apparel, books, art, gift cards), paid consulting and speaking engagements, and training programs such as the New Timbuktu Seminars and Civics Trainings. Tax-deductible donations are routed through fiscal partner Obasi Foundation Inc., and gala sponsorships are processed through Fusion Partnerships, which charges a 5% service fee. The organization maintains a small named team of approximately eight people across leadership, policy, operations, communications, and cultural curation, and it operates from 4151 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD. LBS's explicit decision to organize as an LLC rather than a 501(c)(3) is a structural choice to preserve political independence from foundation funding.

Name

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle

Legal name

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle LLC

Website

https://lbsbaltimore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle is a Baltimore-based grassroots think-tank and LLC that advances public policy interests of Black communities in Baltimore through youth leadership development, political advocacy, and African-centered research, consulting, and media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Advocacy and Policy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Grassroots policy advocacy
• Community organizing services
• Youth leadership development
• Political advocacy research
• Legislative advocacy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sustainer Program: LBS generates revenue through one-time donations and recurring monthly sustainer contributions starting at $5 per month. As an LLC rather than a nonprofit, direct donations are not tax-deductible, though tax-deductible options exist through fiscal partner Obasi Foundation Inc.
2. Merchandise Sales: LBS operates a shop selling apparel, books authored by LBS members, art, accessories, and gift cards. Notable publications include 'Worse than Trump' by Dayvon Love and 'The Black Book' by Lawrence Grandpre and Dayvon Love.
3. Event Revenue: LBS hosts the bi-annual Asante Celebration gala, a major fundraising event that includes sponsorship packages at various levels (Community, Independence, Leader, Strength, and Media Sponsor tiers).
4. Consulting Services: LBS provides consulting services in youth development, community organizing, public assemblies, policy advocacy, and leadership development. The organization also conducts research and offers speaking engagements as paid engagements for community groups, learning facilities, and institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) is a grassroots think-tank that advances the public policy interests of Black people in Baltimore through youth leadership development, political advocacy, and autonomous intellectual innovation. The organization delivers consulting, research, speaking engagements, and training programs, while raising funds via sustainer donations, merchandise sales, and a bi-annual gala.

Product overview

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) is a grassroots think-tank offering a portfolio of advocacy and educational services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include consulting services (youth development, community organizing, policy advocacy, leadership development), research services with African-centered perspectives, and speaking engagements. Supporting programs include the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund initiative, New Timbuktu professional development Seminars, and the Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District. LBS produces media content including the In Search of Black Power, Political Commentary Corner, and From the Streets to the Statehouse podcasts. Publications include Fear of a Black Planet, The Communal Impacts of Drug Criminalization, When Baltimore Awakes, and Legislative Report Cards. The organization also provides Civics Trainings and legislative advocacy services, operating as a Limited Liability Corporation established in August 2010.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• In Search of Black Power: A podcast that challenges conventional narratives around Black policy, Black movements, and Black Life, focusing on creating new language to discuss issues presenting Black America with a focus on independent institutional building.
• Political Commentary Corner
• From the Streets to the Statehouse
• New Timbuktu Seminars
• Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District
• Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF)
• Asante Celebration

Products and services

• Consulting Services
• Research Services
• Speaking Engagements
• Youth Leadership Development
• Legislative Advocacy
• New Timbuktu Seminars
• Civics Trainings
• Merchandise Shop
• Asante Celebration Gala

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully halted construction of a planned youth jail through grassroots organizing and Youth Justice Sunday protests
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLBS provides political advocacy, community organizing, and communications work for BCYF. LBS led the political organizing to bring BCYF into existence and continues to shape its direction to empower Black people in the nonprofit sector.
• Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in creating the Black Arts District. LBS helped organize the coalition and member Lady Brion serves as Executive Director. Coalition includes Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street, Druid Heights CDC, Arch Social Club, Upton Planning Committee, and others.
• CLLCTIVLYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner powering LBS civics trainings. CLLCTIVLY provides support for the free civics training program aimed at helping community members navigate the political system from a liberatory perspective.
• Conscious Heads BarbershopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with LBS to pass legislation allowing master barbers to apprentice three barbers at a time instead of just one, supporting workforce development for Conscious Heads and Reflections Eternal barbershop training programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ACLU of Maryland: State-level civil liberties and advocacy organization that has been a documented financial partner/sponsor of LBS's Asante Celebration. ACLU of Maryland operates in the same Maryland civic advocacy ecosystem on overlapping issues including criminal justice reform, police accountability, and drug policy that LBS has actively shaped.
• NAACP: The largest and oldest U.S. civil rights organization, operating a parallel mission of advancing political representation, legislative advocacy, and youth leadership development for Black Americans. NAACP is a broad incumbent in the same civic-society-strengthening space as LBS, but at national scale and as a 501(c)(3).
• Color of Change: The nation's largest online racial justice organization, deploying digital organizing and advocacy campaigns targeting corporate and governmental actors. Operates in the same Black policy advocacy space as LBS but at significantly larger scale and with a digital-first operating model.
• Movement for Black Lives: National coalition of more than 50 Black-led organizations advancing a shared policy platform on racial justice. LBS operates in the same 'Black Radical Tradition' political ecosystem and could plausibly participate as a coalition member on issues like reparations, criminal justice, and youth justice that M4BL coordinates.

Direct peers

• BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100): National member-based organization of Black youth activists focused on Black liberation, leadership development, and political advocacy through a Black feminist lens. Directly comparable to LBS as a grassroots, Black-led, youth-centered advocacy organization engaging in legislative and policy advocacy, though operating nationally rather than city-specific.
• Dream Defenders: Florida-based grassroots organization of young Black leaders advancing policy advocacy, youth leadership development, and movement-building against the criminal legal system. Closely comparable to LBS in structure, mission, and theory of change (combining youth debate/training with legislative campaigns).
• CLLCTIVLY: Baltimore-based Black-led platform connecting and supporting Black social-impact organizations and donors in the Baltimore region. Directly comparable as a Baltimore-anchored civic ecosystem organization and a documented operational partner that powers LBS's civics trainings program.
• Baltimore Algebra Project: Baltimore-based youth-led organization using peer tutoring and community organizing to drive educational equity and youth leadership. Closely comparable to LBS as a Baltimore-anchored, Black-led, youth-centered grassroots organization combining education/training with advocacy.

Others

• 1199SEIU Maryland/DC: Healthcare union representing Maryland/DC workers that has been a Leader Sponsor of LBS's Asante Celebration. Adjacent ecosystem participant sharing policy overlap on workforce development, racial justice, and community empowerment in the same Maryland civic space.

Regional players

• Maryland Legislative Black Caucus: State-level legislative body representing Black Maryland legislators. Directly comparable as the institutional recipient of LBS's legislative advocacy, and the entity that LBS partnered with on the 2025 reparations commission effort, operating in the same Maryland legislative arena.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LBSBaltimore
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTDmNx6P1b8lytje6MmfTyA
• Facebookfacebook.com/LBSBaltimore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leaders-of-a-beautiful-struggle
• Instagraminstagram.com/lbsbaltimore
• TikToktiktok.com/@lbsbaltimore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle