749. Stewarding a 160-Year Legacy: How to Honor History While Driving Change - Archana Jayaram, Brooklyn Community Services
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Possible in Practice, a limited series of case studies from the We Are For Good community: the ask they sent, the risk they took, and what happened next. Eight incredible changemakers share what becomes possible when you stop waiting. Dropping Wednesdays starting this week.
About This Episode
Archana Jayaram stepped in as CEO of Brooklyn Community Services just as one of New York City's oldest nonprofits entered its 160th year. Her first move wasn't a bold new vision. It was a question: "What do you need?"
Founded in 1866, BCS now serves more than 14,000 Brooklynites a year across housing, mental health, education, and workforce development. Archana shares how she's honoring that legacy while listening her way toward what comes next. 🩵
In this Possible in Practice episode, you'll hear:
How to lead change inside a long-standing institution by starting with the people who do the work
Why the people closest to the problem are the ones who know what they need, and how BCS stays community-centric at scale
What young people in Brooklyn said they actually need for their mental health, and why it surprised everyone
You'll walk away with a listening-first playbook for leading through legacy, change, and chaos. 🩵
Episode Highlights:
(2:16) Archana's story: West Virginia roots and the power of mutual aid
(3:30) Inside the government–nonprofit partnership
(7:03) BCS's founding story: guided by history, not bound by it
(10:09) Staying community-centric while serving 14,000 people
(13:04) What young people said about mental health
(16:38) Leading change inside a legacy institution
(20:41) A donor who doubled his gift without being asked
(24:01) Build a ladder out of chaos: the one good thing
Meet Archana: The Leader Who Starts Every Change With a Question
Archana Jayaram is CEO of Brooklyn Community Services and a nonprofit and public sector leader with more than 20 years of experience strengthening organizations that serve communities. Before BCS, she served as president and CEO of the Osborne Association and CEO of the Legal Aid Society, and held roles in New York City government at the Administration for Children's Services, the Department of Homeless Services, and City Hall.
Raised by immigrant parents in Charleston, West Virginia, Archana grew up relying on a close-knit South Asian community of "aunties and uncles," an early lesson in mutual aid that still shapes how she leads at Brooklyn Community Services today. Learn more at wearebcs.org.
Powerful Quotes
"Let's be guided by the history, but... let's learn from the history and not necessarily do everything the same way." - Archana
"The people closest to the problem... are the ones who really know what they need, and it's not for us to decide." - Archana
"What do you need? How can I help? If you were me, what would you want to know?" - Archana
"My superpower is to build a ladder out of chaos." - Archana
"Where's the ladder, and how am I climbing out of this with everybody with me, not by myself? We're all going to go together." - Archana
"These jobs are really hard. And I think it's so important to acknowledge that, and to acknowledge the commitment and the care of the staff who work in organizations like this." - Archana
"You turn to other people in times of need, and it's not an unreasonable expectation that they're going to stick out their hand and help you." - Archana
"Sometimes you're going to make mistakes in your program models, and you need those nonprofit partners to tell you." - Archana
"They would like a place where they could just go and be, and not have to explain, not have to talk it out." - Archana, on what young people said about mental health
"It was never about the money; it was about belief." - Jon
Resources Mentioned
Brooklyn Community Services (BCS): founded in 1866 (originally the Brooklyn Bureau of Community Services), serving 14,000+ Brooklynites a year
The Osborne Association: where Archana previously served as president and CEO
The Legal Aid Society: where Archana previously served as CEO
NYC Administration for Children's Services, Department of Homeless Services, and City Hall: Archana's early public sector roles
BCS history book: chronicles the organization's founding by Father Francioli
Rikers Island social impact bond: Goldman Sachs–funded effort to provide cognitive behavioral therapy to incarcerated young people
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