Habeebah Rasheed Grimes

Habeebah Rasheed Grimes is a daughter, sister, and mother whose life and work are rooted in supporting healing in communities deeply impacted by racialized stress and transgenerational trauma. Guided by this commitment, she has spent decades contributing to national conversations on racial equity, trauma-informed care, and youth policy. Her work reflects a deep belief that communities deserve environments where healing, belonging, and justice are not just aspirations but lived realities.

For more than twenty years, Habeebah served at Positive Education Program (PEP), one of Ohio’s largest youth-serving nonprofit organizations, including seven years as CEO. In that role, she worked to embed healing-centered, equitable, and liberatory practices throughout the organization’s culture and services. In 2021, she founded Habeebah Rasheed Grimes LLC, where she now partners with leaders and organizations committed to building systems that nurture well-being, belonging, and collective flourishing.

Through the Acosta Institute Fellowship, Habeebah is entering a space where leadership and healing can unfold together. She describes herself as a committed but wounded leader who believes deeply in the power of community to support growth and restoration. During the Fellowship, she hopes to deepen both her healing journey and her leadership capacity while walking alongside fellow leaders who are also committed to cultivating environments where healing and liberation are possible.