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John Lewis Young Leaders
The John Lewis Young Leaders (JLYL) program is an undergraduate fellowship program that equips students with the necessary skills to become effective social justice and civic leaders. Since its creation in 2017, the Young Leaders program has focused on building the power of young people and supporting them as the next generation of human rights defenders. In 2022, the program was restructured and rebranded to pay homage to the beautiful and inspiring friendship between John Lewis and Robert Kennedy. Both Lewis and Kennedy shared a joint dream of building a more just and equitable future and worked towards one where all young people can see this come to fruition.
Upcoming Information Sessions
Register for our upcoming virtual sessions to learn more about the program, model capstone projects, tips on writing an application, benefits of the fellowship, and more.
Session 1
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 6:00 pm ET
Session 2
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 1:00 pm ET
Session 3
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 6:00 pm ET
The JLYL program is a year-long fellowship that prepares college students for a future in community organizing and civic engagement. Throughout the course of the year, fellows engage their campus and local communities in human rights work through a robust capstone project. Fellows receive resources and support to ensure their success in the program, including access to comprehensive grassroots organizing workshops, 1:1 mentorship from RFK Human Rights staff, financial support, and access to an extensive network of human rights professionals, peers, and program alumni. By providing fellows with these resources, we aim to build their capacity and confidence to pursue careers as human rights defenders and enact positive and perpetual change in their communities.
Current Fellows
Learn more about our current cohort of fellows, where they’re located, and what their capstone project consists of.
Campaign Toolkits
Whether you’re a seasoned youth activist or you’re building a club or student organization for the first time, these guides can help you harness your classmates’ collective energy to make real changes.
Become a Fellow
The JLYL program looks for highly motivated students who are interested in making a career out of organizing work.
What is a capstone?
Through the JLYL program, fellows will complete a year-long capstone project focused on learning practical organizing skills through collaboration and action.
Meet Our Experts
Partners
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Generation Titans
Partnered with RFK Human Rights for the Titan Generator at SXSW in 2019.
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International Indigenous Youth Council (IIYC)
Partnered with RFK Human Rights for the Titan Generator at SXSW in 2019.
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March For Our Lives
Partnered with RFK Human Rights for the Titan Generator at SXSW in 2019.
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Net Impact
Partnered with RFK Human Rights on a series of workshops focused on mobilizing college students to become “election advocates” through actions that promoted voting by mail.
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Trans United
Partnered with RFK Human Rights on our “Street Rights” series in the summer of 2020.
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United We Dream
Partnered with RFK Human Rights for the Titan Generator at SXSW in 2019.
Help us protect human rights
Please give now. Your contribution will make a difference in the critical effort to achieve equal rights for all.