The Leadership Institute seeks to identify, equip, and advance a new generation of leaders from diverse backgrounds and communities to assume responsible roles in the development and implementation of progressive public policies. The program consists of 12 Leadership Fellows, all of whom have experience working with communities of color and have demonstrated an interest and commitment to progressive public policies. The Leadership Fellows gather two days of each month for nine months to discover, define, and develop skills necessary to create and advocate policy ideas to diverse constituencies. CAP's Leadership Institute is a project of Progress 2050, which develops new ideas for an increasingly diverse America.
Fellows' Spotlight
Leadership Fellow to Participate in Global Youth Summit in South Africa
Washington, DC—Leadership Fellow Jamila Aisha Brown will participate in the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa's Youth Summit this May in Cape Town, South Africa. The Youth Summit will preview the Open Society's OpenForum, which will be centered around the theme of Money, Power and Sex: The paradox of unequal growth. The OpenForum will provide a space for activists, academics, businesspeople and policy-makers to reflect on the current economic, social and political implications for Africa and guide the programming and advocacy of the Africa Foundations. Brown is one of 60 young people worldwide who will participate in the Youth Summit and speak to these important issues from an informed and innovative perspective.
Based in DC, Brown is an activist, writer, and social entrepreneur. Her diverse background as a person of Panamanian, African-American, and Caribbean descent propelled her into the arena of international relations with a special focus on the African Diaspora. She recently founded HUE, LLC, a social entrepreneurship that provides consulting, project creation, management, and evaluation support for organizations working with communities of African-descent. Through the Youth Summit, Brown will meet other young leaders interested in exploring how the Diaspora can work together to address unequal development. Brown holds a B.A. in International Studies from Emory University and an Executive Masters degree from American University in International Service.
Leadership Fellow to lead media training in Macedonia
Washington, DC—CAP Leadership Fellow Jamiah Adams will lead a media training in Skopje, Macedonia this May with the US Embassy in Macedonia. Her training will be held at the regional conference titled “The Role of the Media in Building Social Cohesion” supported by the State Department's Office of the Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Adams is one of two US trainer-moderators who will attend this conference. Her background working with diverse groups—including the American Muslim community—and her extensive experience producing educational, advocacy and documentary media will allow her to have a tremendous impact on the conference participants.
Adams is currently working with the American Islamic Heritage Museum (AIHM) as they partner with the Smithsonian Museum's Will to Adorn project. The project, which will debut in 2013, demonstrates the many ways African Americans adorn themselves. AIHM is curating the African American Muslim research portion of the project—and Adams is producing some of the content. Her latest web video was produced for Unity Productions Foundation's My Fellow American Campaign, highlighting prominent non-Muslims sharing stories about American Muslims they know or admire. Previously, Adams was New Media Manager of constituency content for the Democratic National Committee and New Media Producer at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). She is a graduate of San Francisco State University where she received a B.A. in broadcast communications and the University of Southern California where she earned a master of professional writing degree.
Leadership Fellow Writes for CAP about Criminal Justice Reform
Washington, DC—CAP Leadership Fellow Inimai Chettiar published a column entitled “Criminal Justice Reform Can Help with State Fiscal Woes” on the CAP website on January 11. Chettiar worked closely with CAP's communications and editorial teams to prepare and publish her column. The column highlighted Chettiar's recently published report in her role at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The report explains how economics and fiscal concerns are tied to criminal and racial justice and civil rights, and how reforming the criminal justice system to incarcerate fewer people can actually save states money. Chettiar is a racial justice legal reformer with economics expertise. She serves as policy counsel for the ACLU's Center for Justice, where she manages and coordinates the organization's efforts to reform state criminal justice policies to end mass incarceration. She holds a B.A. in political science and psychology from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago School of Law.
Samir Paul, DC School Reform NOW December '11 Outstanding Educator
Washington, DC—CAP Leadership Fellow Samir Paul was selected as DC School Reform NOW's December 2011 Outstanding Educator. Mr. Paul is a Teach For America corps member serving as a high school math and computer science teacher in the District of Columbia Public Schools. "Education reform is the silver bullet for the gravest problems facing the United States in a new century," he said in an interview with the local school reform group. "It is a challenge too big for just teachers, just administrators, just communities, or just lawmakers—instead, it will require the unyielding commitment of all those groups and many more." Read an interview with Mr. Paul on the DC School Reform NOW's website here.
Wilmington News Journal Highlights CAP Leadership Institute Fellow
Washington, DC—Darius Brown, a CAP Leadership Institute Fellow, was recognized in the Wilmington News Journal for being selected as one of the inaugural Fellows of this program. The News Journal, a Gannett-owned newspaper and web site, noted Brown in its "People" section on October 20. On November 3, the Wilmington City Council also honored Brown and the Leadership Institute with special proclamations. Watch the proclamation here.
After attending the Leadership Institute’s November session "Writing for Online and Editorial," Brown wrote an op-ed column that was featured on Delaware Online, the Wilmington News Journal's website. Brown worked with Ed Paisley, vice president for editorial at CAP, to prepare his column. See Brown's column "A Workable Plan for Creating Jobs in Wilmington" here.
Brown is one of twelve highly motivated Fellows committed to working with communities of color and impacting progressive social change. Currently he is working as an organizing specialist with the Delaware State Education Association in Dover. He previously served as director of public affairs for the Connections Community Support Program in Wilmington, Delaware's largest substance abuse and mental health nonprofit.
