Our Voices

The Evolution and Impact of the John Lewis Young Leaders Program

The Young Leaders program at RFK Human Rights has been a dynamic force for change since its inception, and its story is one of continuous growth, adaptation, and commitment to justice. The program’s trajectory from its early beginnings as RFK Young Leaders to its current form as the John Lewis Young Leaders fellowship program highlights the power of youth-led activism and the importance of providing resources and platforms for the next generation of leaders. 

The Origins

When Eli Dreyfus, former Creative Mobilization Manager, joined RFK Human Rights in 2016, the Young Leaders program was vastly different from what it is today. Initially, it catered to young professionals in Manhattan who combined socializing with activism, organizing events like speakers’ panels and lobbying trips to the state legislature. However, a pivotal shift occurred as RFK Human Rights embraced a domestic focus on the U.S. criminal legal system and mass incarceration. “When I was hired to the RFK Young Leaders program, [RFK Human Rights] was approaching its 50th anniversary and was for the first time taking a domestic focus as an organization. They decided their domestic focus was going to be the criminal legal system and mass incarceration, which is a topic that I’m very personally passionate about.”

This transition brought RFK Young Leaders into alignment with grassroots efforts such as the Dollar Bail Brigade, where volunteers paid bail for individuals on Rikers Island. Over the years, this initiative freed over 200 people and exposed systemic inefficiencies, ultimately driving policy change to end dollar bail in New York City. These efforts exemplified the program’s dual focus: immediate intervention and long-term systemic change.

Transforming the Program

In 2019, RFK Young Leaders transitioned from a New York-centric program for young professionals to a nationwide network of college chapters. Under the leadership of Kristopher Sharp, the program expanded its reach to historically underrepresented institutions. Recalling his time working with Kristopher, Eli described him as “one of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” 

“He made a lot of key decisions about how the program would be structured and designed that transformed what it was going to be,” Eli continued. “This could have easily just been a chapter at Harvard and a chapter at Yale.” But Kristopher advocated for the inclusion of state schools, like SUNY and CUNY colleges, and HBCUs and HSIs. “Kristopher tapped into networks of incredibly brilliant, compassionate, gifted students, who were queer and people of color, were trans, who were artists, who were writers, some of whom had never done any organizing before, some of whom had done a lot of organizing before,” Eli recalls.  

The Young Leaders ambassadors achieved numerous wins in city-level policy advocacy, including the passing of a “cite and release” ordinance by the San Marcos, TX city council that ensures people who are ticketed for certain Class C misdemeanors and nonviolent crimes are not detained in jail

In 2019, Kristopher also organized the inaugural Young Leaders retreat in collaboration with other youth-based movement groups like March for Our Lives, Color of Change, and United We Dream. The retreat, held in Austin, TX during the South by Southwest conference, brought together student ambassadors for a weekend of social justice movement-building workshops. “There were so many people who would have never otherwise met each other,” Eli said. “These aren’t the most different people on earth. These are people with shared values. But [they were] of different ages, and from lots of different geographies.”

Renaming the Program

The decision to rename the program to honor John Lewis in 2021 was another critical evolution. This change reflected a commitment to aligning the program with the values and legacy of the late congressman and civil rights icon, and a vision attuned to contemporary social justice movements. 

Today, over a dozen college students per academic year receive financial resources through the John Lewis Young Leaders fellowship to carry out their work. Fellows also receive access to comprehensive grassroots organizing workshops, 1:1 mentorship from RFK Human Rights staff, and access to an extensive network of human rights professionals, peers, and program alumni. Through these resources, the fellowship builds students’ capacity and confidence to pursue careers as human rights defenders and enact positive change in their communities.

One such student was Josh Palackal, a fellow in the 2023-2024 cohort, who recently recounted a serendipitous encounter with Eli at a gathering hosted by City Life/Vida Urbana, a housing justice organization in Boston. According to Josh, their shared commitment to community-minded work exemplifies the connections forged through organizing spaces. “The [John Lewis Young Leaders] program was honestly really foundational to my career, especially getting started in the community organizing and impact litigation space,” Josh shared. “I think having that experience with the JLYL program has been really important in helping me forge connections with like-minded peers and figure out what I wanted to do.” Josh, who campaigned for increased awareness and resources for handling drug overdoses at Temple University during his fellowship, is currently a 1L at Boston University’s law school. 

Above all, the JLYL program’s greatest strength lies in its students. These young leaders are not only activists but also artists, writers, and community builders who exemplify courage, creativity, and compassion. The program’s emphasis on fostering connections among these individuals ensures a lasting impact, as alumni continue to collaborate and support each other long after their time in the program. Learn more about the JLYL program today; if you’re a college student, apply to our 2025-26 cohort of fellows by February 28.