The John Lewis Young Leaders (JLYL) program is an undergraduate fellowship 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.
Applications for the 2026-2027 cohort of the John Lewis Young Leaders are now open! Encourage your peers to apply by February 27th to join an amazing cohort of change-makers with a passion for social justice and human rights.Fellows receive:A $2,000 stipend and $1,000 action fund for a capstone project of their choosing1:1 mentorship from Kennedy Human Rights staffAll expense paid summer retreat Access to a network of human rights professionals, peers, and alumni Learn more about the John Lewis Young Leaders through new reflections from the fellows: Tyren Boyd on the power of mentorship, Mia Roque on AI-generated disinformation in a New York City Council race, and Payton Garcia on the realities of off-campus housing at Howard University.
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Apply to the 2026-2027 cohort →
HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.
HRE USA 