Today, March 17, NBJC celebrates the birthday of the late Bayard Rustin by honoring Rustin's legacy and dedication to youth mobilizing with the launch of the 100 Black LGBT Emerging Leaders to Watch Campaign. Bayard Rustin was a proud Black gay man who was an indispensable architect of the Civil Rights Movement. He started his career as a youth activist and was mentored by some of the greatest leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. His most noteworthy achievements include serving as the chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, mentoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and helping to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference ( SCLC ) and the A. Philip Randolph Institute. Rustin was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, posthumously, by President Barack Obama on November 20, 2013.
The 100 Black LGBT Emerging Leaders to Watch Campaign is a component of the NBJC Black LGBT Emerging Leaders Initiative. This initiative will provide a platform and forum for young rising stars ( ages 18-30 ) to elevate and address the concerns of Black LGBT young adults, share best practices, and have a seat at the table—to not only be mentored by seasoned advocates and elders, but to also lead and offer invaluable insight. The Emerging Leader perspective is critical to shaping policies for the future. Their active involvement is essential to help grow the leadership pipeline necessary to sustain a vibrant and impactful equality movement. NBJC's Emerging Leaders are exposed to opportunities such as educating key policymakers and influencers on Black LGBT priority issues, and learning the fundamentals of how our democracy works.
One key pillar to the Emerging Leaders Initiative is the 100 Black LGBT Emerging Leaders to Watch visibility campaign. This list will represent a consortium of standout leaders that are ripe with potential and/or deserve a greater platform of exposure.
NOTE: You may nominate an Emerging Leader today,
and we will forward your nominee the instructions to apply.
All applicants must submit the following:
Completed Online Application
Current Resume
( 1 ) Letter of Recommendation
Nominations should be emailed to 100towatch@nbjc.org . Please make sure to include the nominee's name in the subject line. The letter of recommendation MUST BE signed. A scanned copy of signed letter is permitted. If email is not possible, applicants may send submission materials to:
National Black Justice Coalition
ATTN: 100toWatch Campaign
Post Office Box 71395
Washington, DC 20024
Applications are due May 30, 2014. Applications and materials submitted after the deadline will not be processed. If mailing submission components, please be sure that materials arrive to the address on or before the deadline. Packages postmarked on May 30, but received after the due date, will not be processed.
We encourage anyone interested in applying to become familiar with the National Black Justice Coalition and the Emerging Leaders Initiative. For further questions, comments or concerns, please contact Je-Shawna Wholley, NBJC's Program Manager for the Emerging Leaders Initiative and Special Projects, via email at jwholley@nbjc.org or ( 202 ) 319-1552 ext. 102.
Those that are interested can find all submission details HERE. The 100 Emerging Leaders to Watch will be announced in September 2014 in advance of the 5th Annual OUT on the Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit in Washington, DC.
