The Links, Incorporated core values are friendship, integrity, honesty, service, commitment, family relationships, courage, respect for self and others, legacy, confidentiality, responsibility, and accountability. Members include business and civic leaders, role models, mentors, activists, and volunteers who work toward a shared vision by engaging like-minded organizations and individuals for partnership. The organization’s members contribute more than a million hours of community service annually and are the recipients of awards from the UN Association of New York and the former Leon H. Sullivan Foundation for its programs. It was also nominated for a Luxembourg Peace Prize by the Schengen Peace Foundation and was recognized by the late Congressman John Lewis as a distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence.

STEM

Resources to Local Initiatives

By Leslye Miller Fraser – Potomac (VA) Chapter – National STEM Chair

Most jobs of the future will require a strong grasp of math and science. STEM occupations are growing at 17%, while other occupations are growing at 10%, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. STEM degree holders also have a higher income, even in non-STEM careers. Yet African Americans are underrepresented in STEM at every degree level. Moreover, the number of African Americans receiving engineering degrees is declining, largely due to fewer African-American women earning degrees in these fields.

All our youth need to be STEM-literate, just as they need to be proficient in reading and writing, if they are to achieve their full potential—regardless of whether they choose STEM careers. There is not a single Link sister who would be unconcerned if the students in her chapter’s programs could not read and write at grade level. As Links, we need to be equally concerned when we see our students unable to meet the grade-level math and science standards.

Every chapter should be engaged in providing STEM education to the students they serve. To date, more than 70% of Links chapters have answered the call with programs of their own design or through partnerships with organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), STEM Gems, and Black Girls Code.

To best help our students, we must deepen our own knowledge about STEM education and careers, clarify our chapter aims, and build the capacity and partnerships we need to deliver exceptional programs. To this end, the National STEM team has developed a suite of resources under the LINKS-STEMREADY banner to help chapter programs thrive.

Solano County Chapter of the Links Incorporated
STEM Program at Hogan High School in Vallejo, CA

Thank you to Connecting Link, David Parks for providing a ''walkie talkie' building STEM workshop for 18 6th graders. It was a huge success!

Links Love HBCU's

Our HBCUs need our help year-round. We are asking all 17,000+ Links in 299 chapters and other friends to support our Links Love HBCUs Giving Campaign. This will be a unified and coordinated fundraising approach, enabling us to shine a light nationally on our commitment and document our organizational impact - funds raised to support student scholarships at HBCUs.

Historically, The Links Foundation, Incorporated has given priority to providing support for HBCUs. In recent years, this effort has been guided by the Links Love HBCUs Initiative wherein Areas, Chapters and members were encouraged to make contributions and/or raise funds to support student scholarships.

In 2022, during the 43rd National Assembly, the Links Love HBCUs became a Signature Program. This formal adoption has reinforced our commitment and provided the structure to promote greater alignment and maximization of our collective efforts.