Social oppression and systemic inequities are a global problem of paramount importance (Omi & Winant, 1990). Over the last decade within the U.S., the Occupy Wall Street movement, #BlackLivesMatter, and waves of protests have shed new light on old problems related to systemic oppression and renewed calls for justice (Museus, Ledesma, & Parker, 2015). At the same time, those who seek to uphold the current social order have responded to and resisted social movements that aim to advance equity. Given these realities, it has never been more important for society to cultivate leaders who are able to understand these systemic contexts and play critical roles in advancing the well-being of all populations, especially those from underserved and historically marginalized communities.

The vast majority of discourse on leadership does not explicitly acknowledge the aforementioned social and political contexts, or explain how these systems of oppression and inequities intersect with leadership (Dugan, 2017). The current brief introduces a new leadership framework that accounts for the larger body of knowledge related to systemic oppression, power and privilege, and culture and identity.

The SALT model denotes an explicit focus on leadership that is socially conscious and facilitates transformation to achieve justice.