Stand Up, Speak Out, Take Action
Apply to Cultural Leadership’s High School Leadership Program Class 19, beginning December 2023! Any students who will be sophomores or juniors during the 2023- 2024 school year and live in the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area are eligible to apply. Applications close September 21, 2023.
Learn more about the High School Leadership Program here or contact Program Director, Jeremy Brok for more information at JBrok@CulturalLeadership.org or 314-354-8236.
Be our guest on October 19, 2023 for heavy hors d’oeuvres and an evening of support and recognition
as Cultural Leadership unites the St. Louis community and presents
the Troublemaker of the Best Kind, “Ginsburg-Lewis,” Distinguished Alumni and Freedom Fighter Lifetime Achievement Awards!
WHEN: Thursday, October 19, 2023
TIME: 6:30 PM
WHERE: 18Rails | THE venue @ City Foundry STL
TICKETS: $125 each
For nearly 20 years, Cultural Leadership has provided award-winning education and leadership training to area youth who graduated, empowered to make positive change in their communities. This year, those youth selected community members and organizations unafraid to “Stand Up, Speak Out and, Take Action” to ensure a brighter future for the St. Louis region.
Join us for entertainment, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a surprise announcement as we pay tribute to:
Freedom Fighter Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Ginsburg-Lewis Awardees
Troublemakers of the Best Kind
Apply for Camp Cultural Leadership ’23! Sessions available for rising 6 & 7th graders and rising 8 & 9th graders
Camp Cultural Leadership is a condensed, age appropriate version of our award-winning high school program. Our camp program increases cultural awareness through hands-on activities, develops leadership skills, and fosters a passion for social justice. During the camp session, students will take an overnight trip designed to complement the camp curriculum. During this trip, campers will visit people and places relevant to social justice and democracy.
Camp Cultural Leadership is a perfect opportunity for students who want a glimpse of our High School Program’s curriculum. In fact, 40% of Camp Cultural Leadership participants go on to be part of our prestigious high school program!
There will be two 2023 Camp sessions taking place July 10 – July 22 (for 8th and 9th Graders) and July 24- August 5 (for 6th and 7th Graders) from 9:00- 3:00, Monday- Friday. Each will culminate in a Changemaker Immersion Weekend in Memphis, TN!
Rising 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th graders are eligible to apply.
Cultural Leadership is committed to equity and ensuring that every accepted student is able to participate in Camp programming. We utilize a sliding fee scale determination system based on family income to ensure that each family contribution is equitable. The top of the scale is $1,000, however some families are eligible to pay as little as $100 for students to participate. A non-refundable deposit of 10% will be required to hold the space of the student in the program.
Balance is required to be paid in full is required before the start of camp.
Before Care (8:30 to 9:00 am) and After Care (3:00 to 5:00 pm) services are available.
For more information, please contact Info@CulturalLeadership.org.
FIRST PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MAY 15
STUDENTS CAN APPLY HERE.
Students can determine their cost of attendance via the SLIDING SCALE FEE DETERMINATION FORM .
Cultural Leadership held our annual Black Culture and Identity Program on Sunday, February 6. This program is usually heavily based in history and the Black experience between the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the civil rights movement, and this year facilitators decided to diversify the curriculum in a way that centers a range of lived experiences. Students heard from Dr. Katrina Thompson Moore on early African & African American history, and Senior Facilitator Stephanie Briggs on Black Feminism.
For the first time in history, Cultural Leadership held a panel on Black Identity, and invited guests to discuss questions like, “What were you told about Blackness growing up, and how did it shape your upbringing?” and, “How have your identities influenced where you are now, your career goals, and the legacy you want to leave behind?” Panelist & Software Engineer Roger Jones grew up with aspirations to be an engineer like his father, however, he was often dismayed when his father would share that he couldn’t hire a candidate due to their hair being styled in dreadlocks, as his workplace viewed natural Black hairstyles as “unprofessional.” Roger decided that he would become a successful engineer that wears his hair locked with confidence, and he has done exactly that! This program helped students explore and understand Black Identity, and provided notions of self-actualization and validation. Program participants are eager to hear from Student to Student and others at our Jewish History and Culture session on February 27!
Picture (from Left): Dr. Kimberly Morton (Director, TRIO Student Support Services at WashU), Rokhaya Toure (CL Class 16 Alum), Stephanie Briggs, Roger Jones (Software Engineer), Alex Templeton (Activist & WashU Law ’24), Chidera Agwu (SLU ’21 Neuroscience & Pre-Med)
We are thrilled to announce that Cultural Leadership has relocated, and moved on up to a deluxe office suite on South Grand! Our building offers a beautiful covered rooftop terrace, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors in the coming warmer months! In addition, 17 years into our program, we now have more full-time staff than ever, and are all excited to give our best to Cultural Leadership as we enhance our program and expand our reach! Our full-time team primarily focuses on the development of our organization, fundraising, and the management of our student programs. In addition to our full-time staff, we are joined by Nosa Ali & Zoey Fleischer (Facilitator Fellows), Phil Hunsberger (Senior Facilitator), and Kaylan Holloway & Kurly Taylor (Parent Facilitators) who support our High School Program. Our mantra in the office is, “Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Picture (from Left): Stephanie Briggs (Development Manager & Senior Facilitator), Savannah Sowell (AmeriCorps VISTA), Tamyka Perine (Executive Director), Sheilly Moreno (AmeriCorps VISTA), Jeremy Brok (Program Director)