Emerging Leaders 2020, Unlock Your Change-Making Potential
Published March 10, 2020
By Megan Connelly
With what’s going on in the world today, it is more important than ever that we cultivate leaders who continue to push forward a vision of an equitable and sustainable society where justice triumphs over exploitation. At Open Buffalo, we empower those whose voices are usually ignored. Through our leadership development programs such as Emerging Leaders, we build up the leaders who will work to create systemic improvements in our community.
Since 2015, Open Buffalo’s Emerging Leaders program has trained more than100 change-makers to mobilize their communities around equity issues while strengthening the local leadership corps. With a focus on the grassroots, the Emerging Leaders program is a distinctive social justice curriculum aimed at building a stronger Buffalo by preparing new leaders in our city. Graduates have gone on to assume leadership roles in community, nonprofit, and government sectors.
Emerging Leaders is a four-month leadership development program that empowers participants with the skills, networks, and opportunities to effect meaningful change in their communities. Skill- and knowledge-building topics include history of organizing and movement building, Buffalo/Niagara social history, community organizing, strategic communications, advocacy, research and analysis, and how to implement an issue campaign.
The application is now live for the 2020 Emerging Leaders cohort on the Open Buffalo website. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2020. There is no cost for the program. Opening weekend for this year’s program will be in August.
Ideal candidates for the Emerging Leaders program include:
- Individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to social justice issues
- Individuals who are ready to tackle community organizing campaigns and advocacy issues following the completion of the program
Priority will also be given for those individuals who completed the Open Buffalo Justice Leadership Institute in 2019.
If you are accepted into the program, you will:
- Gain new skills
- Engage in activities to examine and unleash your leadership potential
- Build a network of movers and shakers
Emerging Leaders is THE local program that recruits people directly impacted by poverty, racism, and oppression to enter careers and positions of leadership where they can address injustice and inequality to improve the quality of life in this community. Please consider applying or sharing with your networks.