The Young Climate Leaders of Color Program 2025

Application Deadline: September 5, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2025 Young Climate Leaders of Color Program. The Young Climate Leaders of Color (YCLC) program at People’s Climate Innovation Center supports the next generation of climate leaders through radical transformation. We recognize there are many diverse entry points for catalyzing change within our movement ecosystem, and we value all approaches to change, from music and the arts, the power of culture, to community organizing and radical policy advocacy, restorative and healing connections to the Earth, liberation, and many others.

YCLC aims to build a national network of young leaders of color who are learning, growing, and advancing climate justice work in their communities. YCLC seeks to immerse youth in climate justice, arts, story-based advocacy, cultural strategy, targeted direct action, community organizing, transformative change, ecological principles, and leadership development with amazing strategists, leaders, and political activists nationwide. YCLC participants will have the space to shape their projects into what they want to see and what they feel serves them and their communities.

Application criteria:

Applicants must:

1. Identify as Black, African, Afro-Latinx, and/or part of the Afro-Indigenous diaspora, Indigenous, and/or as a Person of Color.
2. Be based and implement their project in one of the following places: the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
3. Be 18-28 years old (OK to turn 18 by January 1, 2025, or turn 29 during the project).
4. Be available to complete a Zoom interview (if needed). Interviews will be scheduled between October 15 and October 29, 2024.

 To receive funding, you must be able to commit to:

1. Signing an award agreement and providing a scholarship reflection at the conclusion of your project term. (Reflections can be videos, songs, blogs, photojournalism, zines, art, or interviews).
2. Completing all surveys and evaluations. 
3. Attending at least eight virtual monthly learning calls/training (up to three (3) hours/month).
4. Attending the YCLC virtual welcome/orientation session on Thur January 16, 2025 
5. Making a one-year commitment to complete the program from January 2025 to December 2025
6. Attending an in-person gathering from Tue. Feb 4, 2025 – Fri . Feb 7, 2025 

• (Travel expenses will be covered, and safety protocols for COVID in place, including masks, daily tests, and hand sanitizer. All event participants (including staff) must test and report any positive results to staff).

Benefits

• This opportunity is available for a cohort of up to 40 young people, each of whom will receive a stipend of  $5,000 to participate in the year-long YCLC program. These funds will support the cohort members for their time and may be used for direct implementation of a project if they choose.

Application Timeline:

• Interviews will be held from Oct 15 – Oct 29 2024.
• Decisions will be announced on Tue December 3 2024
• Orientation will be Thur. January 16 2025I
• n-person convening will be Tue. Feb 4, 2025 – Fri . Feb 7, 2025

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Young Climate Leaders of Color Program 2025