The Black Movement Leaders Project was founded in early 2023 by Dana Smith (New Life II, Connecticut), Chackupurackal “Chacku” Mathai (New York) and Sera Davidow (Roots Up co-founder, Massachusetts).

The mission of the project is to raise up the voices and stories of Black leaders with psychiatric and/or overlapping histories who have contributed in some way (directly or indirectly) to the psychiatric survivor and related movements.

Although it is an independent project, Roots Up and Sera continue to support its growth alongside Dana, Chacku, Ebony Flint (Director of the Black Movement Leaders Oral History Project and a Roots Up Board Member) and others.