Our Legacy
Leila Broadneck, a Blackfoot woman born in the early-to-mid 1800s on a reservation, pursued education through the support of her mother and missionaries, attending Eastern schools. At eighteen—an uncommon achievement for women of that era—she arrived in New York to attend college at Oberlin. She became a nurse and practiced medicine in New York throughout her life, marrying John McKinney, a Cherokee, and raising their daughter.
Her daughter, also named Leila, inherited her mother’s dedication to healing, becoming a nurse and midwife. She married Joshua Washington, a freedman and missionary. Through generations, this legacy of determination and service became a family foundation: education, compassion, and faith.
Gwendolyn Grace Washington is Leila Broadneck’s great-great-great granddaughter. Originally pursuing law at a New York college, Gwen’s path shifted after experiencing sexual assault by a fellow student. Rather than be defined by trauma, she transformed her pain into purpose. Her experiences navigating campus systems led her to dedicate her career to preventing sexual assault and supporting survivors.
Gwen holds a B.A. in Psychology from Kendall College and an M.S. in Counseling from Capella University. She has interned with survivors of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse and remains active with organizations including RAINN, Chicago Women’s Aid Project, CASA, and Gilda’s Club Chicago.
Today, as founder of the Leila Grace Foundation, Gwen continues her family’s mission to eliminate campus violence and support survivors.
Involved in charity work throughout her life, her mission has become to help eliminate campus violence. Professionally, she is co-owner of a digital coloring books company for kids and adults called Coloring books for Kidz and the founder of LUV TALK , a company that hosts singles events and workshops while providing dating advice and communication coaching to help individuals strengthen their relationships.
