Political Leadership Program for People of Color

Dates: October 18-20

Time: 3-day in-person workshop (Friday-Sunday) with 1-2 hours of required pre-work

Location:

TBD

Registration Deadline: September 6, 2024

Representation matters.

We need leaders like you at decision-making tables whose perspectives and voices reflect the lived experiences of their constituents. It is all too common that our communities are represented by individuals who don’t understand the strengths, challenges, or needs of marginalized peoples across the country.

For years, LEE has helped hundreds of people like yourself – sometimes filled with many doubts or facing significant barriers – envision themselves creating positive impact in elected office. Through this program, we seek to leverage our collective voices and leadership to ensure that our communities are represented, championed, and honored.

This year’s cohort is specifically for members of color. We’ll offer identity-specific spaces, where we will offer the standard PLP program with extra emphasis on what it means to be a leader of color and how to navigate that. You’ll do this in an intentional and safe space with other members of similar backgrounds and identities.

Let’s create a more reflective democracy and, together, end inequity in our country.

People of Color Cohorts

Many of the cohorts we offer for this program are specifically for our members of color. In these identity-specific spaces, we do all the same things with extra emphasis on what it means to be a leader of color and how to navigate that. You’ll do this in an intentional and safe space with other members of similar backgrounds and identities.

Workshop Outcomes

The Political Leadership Program brings together LEE members who are committed to pursuing elected office to build their skills and confidence through a immersive learning and networking opportunity.Over the course of this three-day program, you will find the support and knowledge you need to make your future as an elected leader a reality in the next one to three years. You will:
- Find the confidence and conviction to start taking the next steps toward actualizing your potential impact as elected leaders.
- Learn the fundamentals necessary to run a successful campaign for elected office.
- Develop strategies to overcome the systemic and psychological barriers that have historically discouraged members of color from engaging in the political process.
- Build relationships with LEE members of color with different backgrounds and experiences who are interested in serving in their communities
- Deepen your commitment to running and serving in elected leadership and supporting others in that pursuit
- Gain confidence in your ability to run for and serve in elected office
- Build knowledge and develop skills that are critical for candidates, including messaging and fundraising

Who Should Join

Members are encouraged to apply if your answer is “yes” to any of the following:

Do you have a strong interest in running for office?
Are you seeking guidance on how to start a viable political campaign?
Are you focused on increasing your success as a candidate?
Would a POC-shared space support you to navigate the challenges of running for office?

The following criteria will be used to prioritize applications:

Aiming to run in the next 1-3 years.
Those who have completed at least one virtual Exploring a Run session.
Members currently working with a LEE Elected Leadership (EL) Coach.

Workshop Details

Dates: October 18-20

Time: 3-day in-person workshop (Friday-Sunday) with 1-2 hours of required pre-work

Location:

TBD

Registration Deadline: September 6, 2024

Hear from Past Participants

Facilitators

Brandon Best
Director, National Candidate Recruitment and Development, LEE

Brandon Best is an educator turned policy maker and political strategist with a profound commitment to shaping the future of public policy through education and civic engagement. His journey began in the classroom, where he cultivated a passion for empowering young minds, an experience that has profoundly influenced his approach to policy and reform. Transitioning from education to the political arena, where he now serves on the DC State Board of Education, Brandon has adeptly applied his teaching acumen to mentor political aspirants, equipping them with the skills necessary to effect meaningful change across various levels of government in the United States.

Diana Bonete Matzen
Director, National Candidate Recruitment and Development, LEE

Diana is a Director of National Candidate Recruitment and Development at Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) where she focuses on supporting equity minded leaders explore a run for public office across the country. Most recently, Diana has served as a Senior Field Advisor on the Jon Ossoff for U.S Senate race. Prior to LEE, she served as the Deputy Political Director and Latino Outreach Director for Ossoff’s congressional race, where she focused on developing a targeted outreach program to increase the Latino vote in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Diana brings extensive experience in electoral politics, having worked on presidential, congressional, senate and mayoral campaigns throughout the country for over a decade. Diana is a first generation Ecuadorian-American, Chicago native, community organizer, and avid runner and crossfitter. She is a graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina where she earned a BA in Political Science and Spanish. She currently resides in Chicago where she is an elected member of the O.A Thorp Elementary Local School Council.

Holly Lim – Lead Facilitator
Civic Leadership Development Director, LEE

For the last 20 years, Holly (she/her) has been building a pipeline of diverse and equitable leaders. Prior to joining LEE, she was the CEO and founder of Holly Lim Strategies, garnering a 100% general election win rate for diverse candidates she consulted. She also led virtual programs at a PAC, contributing to 400+ under-40 candidates running across the country in 2023.

Holly was also the Program Director of Public Allies Silicon Valley/San Francisco, where she hosted and facilitated a conversation with Mrs. Michelle Obama on leadership and equity with young adult leaders. Holly holds an MA in Asian American Studies and a BA in Political Science/Law & Society. She taught Ethnic Studies at local community colleges, and her graduate research and publications studied the leadership pathways, styles, and frameworks of women of color leaders in the political field, such as electeds, organizers, advocates, and legislative staffers.

Jemila Mitchell
Director of Regional Impact (Atlanta), LEE

Jemila Mitchell, Atlanta’s Director of Regional Impact with Leadership for Educational Equity, began her career in education, driven by a passion for empowering children. Transitioning to political action, she now utilizes her extensive background of campaigns, training, and organizing to support individuals in taking meaningful action in their communities aiming to elevate LEE members across the Metro Atlanta region.

Rizwaan Akhtar

Senior Director of Learning, Development, & Inclusion, LEE

Rizwaan Akhtar is the Senior Director of Learning, Development, & Inclusion at Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) where he designs learning experiences that support leaders to engage politically and build more just and liberatory systems. Based in Chicago, Rizwaan is a Board Member of the Chicago Community Bond Fund and a former Local School Council member of Reilly Elementary School in Avondale. Prior to LEE, he led an international team at World Learning, training over 2,500 young people in civic leadership and peacebuilding in Iraq and the U.S. Rizwaan is a Fellow of the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute, is proficient in Arabic, Spanish, and Urdu, and holds an Executive Nonprofit Management Certificate from Georgetown University, an M.A. in International Education from the SIT Graduate Institute, and a B.A. in Psychology and Middle East Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.