Gifting, Gathering, and Growing Together: Inside the Legacy Leadership Retreat

There is something powerful about starting with intention. When we gathered for the Welcome Retreat of our 2025 Legacy Leadership Cohort, it wasn’t just about information or orientation. It was about presence and laying the groundwork for a shared journey. At its heart, this moment illustrated the intention behind welcoming each leader with care and reminding them that this space was built for them to thrive.

From the curated setting of Meena’s Manor to the quiet details tucked inside each moment, the retreat was a reflection of what happens when design is personal, community-rooted, and filled with heart.

At the center of this experience were the relationships that made it real. This retreat didn’t just celebrate leadership. It celebrated what happens when a community brings its gifts to the table—literally and metaphorically.

One of the first touches our leaders encountered came in the form of a box. Not just any box, but a beautifully curated offering from June Dragonfly, filled with items selected to honor the spirit and diversity of the women inside the room. Andrea Bibbs, the visionary behind June Dragonfly and a 2024 Executive herself, brought her brilliance full circle. Known for sourcing from women-owned and BIPOC-founded brands, Andrea infused each box with the kind of care that only someone deeply rooted in both values and vision can bring. Her work is about more than gifting. It is about storytelling. It is about amplifying the brilliance of overlooked brands and reminding us that beauty, when intentional, can be a form of advocacy.

Nestled inside each box was another local treasure—small-batch sea salts from Beautiful Briny Sea, handcrafted with whimsy and wisdom by Atlanta’s own Suzi Sheffield. By operating a values-oriented business, Suzi has demonstrated consistent acts of support and solidarity through supporting our work for over a decade and has a gift for translating such acts of support into flavor. Her creations are thoughtful and imaginative, much like the woman behind them. Including her salts in the welcome boxes felt like a nod to the culinary joy that often punctuates our gatherings. A reminder that nourishment is not just about food, but about creativity, artistry, and memory.

Myesha Thornton, our resident photographer and visual storyteller, captured it all with grace and reverence. Through her lens, moments became memories, laughter caught mid-air, quiet reflection beside sunlit windows, hands reaching, eyes softening, connections forming. Myesha has long been a trusted documentarian of our work. What she brings is more than photography. It is artistry. It is witnessing. Her presence at the retreat was a gift in itself, allowing us to see ourselves as we are and as we are becoming. With every frame, she stitched together the story of what Legacy in Leadership looks like in motion.

This retreat was about leadership, yes. But more than that, it was about alignment. About making sure the way we gather reflects what we believe. We believe in celebrating differences. In building relationships that last. In making room for artistry, for history, and for joy. We believe in showing up fully and in surrounding ourselves with people who do the same.

To our Beloved Community members, we thank you. You remind us that leadership is not always loud. Sometimes, it is gifted. Sometimes, it is crafted. Sometimes, it is captured in a single frame, and carried forward in memory.

And to our cohort, thank you for saying yes. The journey has only just begun.