Leon T. Andrews, Jr. brings to Equal Measure more than 25 years of policy, management, and leadership experience. He guides Equal Measure’s vision, commitment to racial equity and intersectionality, and strategic planning. He also advises projects on their racial equity focus, including engagements with PolicyLink, the Boston Foundation, the City of Philadelphia’s Anti-Violence Community Grants Program, and the Aspen Institute Criminal Justice Reform Initiative’s Justice and Governance Partnership.

Leon most recently served as the inaugural leader of the National League of Cities’ Race, Equity, And Leadership (REAL), which started as a CEO initiative and became a department within the organization. As the founder of REAL, Leon led NLC’s strategy to help its members respond to racial tensions in their communities and address the historical, institutional, and systemic barriers that further inequity and racism in our nation’s cities. During his time at NLC, where he also served as program director and senior fellow for NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education & Families, Leon raised and managed over $25 million from foundations and corporate partners and provided direction to city officials and community leaders around the country on strategies for health and wellness, youth and workforce development, education reform, and civic engagement.

Prior to his tenure at the National League of Cities, Leon completed a research fellowship at the Forum for Youth Investment. He has also worked with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, the United States Public Interest Research Group, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, YouthBuild Pittsburgh, the Development Corporation of Columbia Heights, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and as an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Eastern Michigan University. He has served as board chair for the National Recreation and Parks Association and ChangeLab Solutions. He currently serves as board chair for Evident Change and as a board member for the National Network for Youth.

Along with his significant professional accomplishments, Leon brings to Equal Measure a compelling personal story that serves as the foundation for his lifelong focus on racial equity and community impact. He is a first-generation American, whose grandmother, mother, and father moved to the U.S. from Guyana in the 1960s. Growing up in Washington, DC, he developed a passion for football and playing the violin and is a proud Howard University alum. He attributes those formative years, along with his time at Howard, to shaping his passion for building and sustaining communities. He lives with his wife, Dr. Kristine Andrews, and their three daughters in his childhood home.

ASK LEON ABOUT…

Local DC sports history, giving you a personal tour of his home city, and a plate of his infamous curry and roti with a side of his father-in-law’s famous pepper sauce if you like it spicy!!