Elizer Darris is the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of Darris Group, a consultancy renowned for its expertise in political, governmental, NGO, and business strategies, with a strong emphasis on community-centered solutions. As a dynamic speaker, trainer, executive coach, and changemaker, his firm has become a prominent force in various sectors.
He was sentenced to life in prison as a teenager and spent nearly two decades incarcerated before being freed after winning his appeal to get the life sentence reversed. In prison, he was mentored by incredible men who instilled the values of leadership and service inside of him. From them, he developed a lens of servant leadership that he is still guided by to this day.
Since his release, Elizer has worked for and within the community at both the grassroots and executive levels. He has worked for years as an Executive Director of a multi-million-dollar community fund that championed efforts for justice system reform and also as a grassroots local and national organizer and advocate.
A key figure in social justice, Elizer co-founded and chairs The Legal Revolution, an innovative program enabling incarcerated individuals to pursue legal careers. He also serves on the Pohlad Foundation's Racial Justice Grants Committee, leads the Legislative & Public Policy Subcommittee as a Board member for the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, and is a recent national board member for the Tides Foundation.
Recognized for his exceptional leadership, business acumen and dedication to community, Elizer was honored with the 2022 40 Under 40 award by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
In 2023, his ongoing efforts were acknowledged with the Echoing Green Fellowship highlighting his significant impact and unwavering dedication to societal change.
In 2024, Elizer was selected as a Fellow into Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program and was also awarded the 2024 Truth and Justice Award from the Twin Cities Urban League.