Our Story
Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy (BELA) was founded to expand educational opportunities for young women in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. Co-founders Nicia Fullwood and Shannon Riley envisioned a school that combines high academic standards with essential social-emotional support. After engaging with families and community leaders, BELA opened its doors in 2017, welcoming its first class of sixty girls. The school fosters an environment of sisterhood, scholarship, strength, and service.