Tiffany Allecia tells fellow leaders to ‘fall in love with learning’

As we approach the Juneteenth holiday on June 19, MassLive asked readers and staff to identify people who are emerging Black leaders throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts.

These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change. 

Tiffany Allecia

Age: 29

Allecia currently serves as the executive director of the Springfield Creative City Collective. The SCCC is a coalition of economic development stakeholders focused on the transformation and revitalization of the Springfield creative and cultural economy. The organizations primary focus is to heal, empower, invest in and sustain the creative economy of Springfield. One of the SCCC’s latest accomplishments is distributing $30,000 to 22 Springfield creatives, nonprofits and businesses for various cultural projects.

The mentorship of Springfield community leaders throughout her childhood and emerging adulthood helped get her started, Allecia said. She developed a passion for grassroots community organizing in high school, later moving on to study African-American studies, sociology, political science and psychology at Howard University. She earned a master’s degree in education with a specialization in educational leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.

She then completed her teacher licensure educational requirements at Boston University and is currently studying educational policy and leadership at American University.

In her words: “First and foremost, fall in love with learning. You have to educate yourself continuously on the issues you feel strongly about, to become a meaningful and efficient activist. Knowledge is power, and by understanding the root causes of systemic issues, you can better advocate for change. Secondly and almost equally important, remain humble and keep your ego in check. I live by the Socrates quote, ‘I know that I know nothing.’ It is easy to believe you have all the answers, but that is a fallacy and defeatist thought. Your openness to access more knowledge and incorporate collaborative opinions, experiences, and solution ideas will strengthen your activism, while making your efforts more relevant to those you serve.”

Each day, we will introduce more leaders, and we’re always open to hear about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.