Dr. Raven C. Major is the founder of The Folding Chair Collective, a leadership development and organizational learning practice built on a simple belief: leadership belongs to all of us.
Too often, leadership is treated as something reserved for those with the right title, position, or access. Dr. Major challenges that assumption. She believes leadership begins with the decisions we make, grows through intentional practice, and flourishes when people have the tools, language, resources, and community to recognize and strengthen the leadership that already exists within them.
Inspired by the symbolism of the folding chair provided by Shirley Chisholm—a reminder that not everyone is invited to the table, but everyone deserves a place to lead—Dr. Major partners with individuals and organizations to cultivate leaders who create cultures where others can thrive. Her work is especially informed by the histories, experiences, and leadership traditions of Black and Brown communities while offering a framework that empowers leaders across every sector and community.
A folding chair is more than a chair. It’s a symbol of possibility. It represents the tools, support, knowledge, and community that allow leadership to be seen, strengthened, and shared. Sometimes it’s the seat you bring when none was waiting for you. Sometimes it’s the seat you unfold for someone else.
This work has been invited into spaces that are grappling with what it means to move from intention to accountability; from higher education conferences to community-based organizations.
Selected engagements include:
