This brief encourages leaders to utilize their influence to help alleviate the long-standing achievement gaps in the education system, because when students flourish, entire communities can flourish as well. The authors want to ensure that grasstops are intentional in their advocacy for black students. The "Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit" provides tangible tips, strategies, talking points and resources to help grasstops who are serious about using their influence to make transformational change for all youth. [For the first report in this series, "Done to Us, Not with Us: African American Parent Perceptions of K-12 Education," see ED573649. For the second report, "Lift Every Voice and Lead: African American Leaders' Perceptions of K-12 Education Reform," see ED588631.]