21st Century Leaders Partners with City of Atlanta on Youth Climate Action Fund

FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA

 

Mayor Andre Dickens Announces Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund to Activate Young People in Driving Climate Solutions

Post Date:07/11/2024 10:45 AM

Mayor’s Office of Communications

Mayor Andre Dickens Announces Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund
to Activate Young People in Driving Climate Solutions

ATLANTA—With 84 percent of youth around the world reporting that they are worried climate change threatens people and the planet, Mayor Andre Dickens announced the application window is open to apply for Atlanta’s new Youth Climate Action Fund. Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Youth Climate Action Fund will provide technical assistance and funding for 100 mayors to activate tens of thousands of young people ages of 15 – 24 years to design, produce and govern urgent climate solutions in their cities. Atlanta joins the Fund alongside 100 cities from around the world, which together spans 38 countries across six continents, representing over 62 million residents.

“With the launch of Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund, we can empower our city’s young innovators to develop youth-led climate solutions designed for the future,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “Our Administration has made priorities both of investing in our youth and addressing the climate crisis on the local level. Thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies and additional partners, this is an opportunity to foster the next generation of climate leaders while advancing our efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient Atlanta.”

As part of this program, the City of Atlanta received $50,000 to provide microgrants and convening opportunities in support of youth-led climate initiatives. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience is partnering with 21st Century Leaders, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that has been delivering youth leadership development programming in Georgia for 35 years, to serve as the fiscal sponsor to award microgrants from $1,000 to $5,000. From mobilizing tree-planting or public education campaigns to launching recycling or waste reduction initiatives, efforts stemming from the Youth Climate Action Fund will help advance Atlanta’s sustainability goals.

Young residents ages 15 – 24 years are encouraged to visit Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund webpage to learn more about the Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and how to submit ideas for the opportunity to receive funding. Applications close Friday, July 25, 2024.

“There’s no age requirement for leadership and we love that the Mayor’s office is investing in the city with this same mindset.” said Kate Hewitt, Executive Director of 21st Century Leaders. “When youth are provided access and opportunity, incredible things happen. We’re proud to partner with the City of Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund where, together, we will advance young leaders to create real change for their local communities and beyond.”

The program will be delivered by United Cities and Local Governments in partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy will collaborate as learning partners. Cities that respond to the urgency of the moment and commit the initial $50,000 within six months will receive an additional $100,000 to support more youth-driven projects over the course of one year.

Young residents ages 15 – 24 are encouraged to visit Atlanta’s Youth Climate Action Fund webpage to learn more and submit ideas for the opportunity.

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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta

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21ST CENTURY LEADERS CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A $1 MILLION SUSTAINABILITY FUND CAMPAIGN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

21ST CENTURY LEADERS CELEBRATE 35 YEARS OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A $1 MILLION SUSTAINABILITY FUND CAMPAIGN

Atlanta, GA (June 4, 2024)—21st Century Leaders, Georgia’s premier youth leadership development program, announced its Empowering Our Future: Sustainability Campaign, which aims to raise $1 million to endow its transformative leadership programs with long-term sustainability and impact. This campaign, coinciding with the organization’s 35th anniversary, will not only provide scalable and accessible programs for all high school students across Georgia but also change the trajectory of their lives, empowering them to become the leaders of tomorrow. 

“As we celebrate this milestone year for the organization and how we’re impacting today’s youth, we’re also thinking about the next 35 years and how we will inspire and support those students,” says DeRetta Rhodes, Ph.D., Chairperson, 21CL Board of Directors and EVP Chief Culture Officer, Atlanta Braves. “Ensuring our future schools, communities, and places of work are filled with diverse, empathetic, and talented leaders is a cause we should all want to support.”

In 1989, a group of Georgia-based executives observed a growing and critical need to prepare their employees for leadership and promote collaboration across class and racial barriers. To address this, they founded 21st Century Leaders, aiming to build the next generation of leaders by providing young people with training, guidance, and encouragement to enter college and the workforce with highly developed leadership skills.

“For over three and half decades, 21st Century Leaders has empowered and inspired over 18,000 high school students to reach their full potential,” said Kate Hewitt, Executive Director, 21st Century Leaders. “This campaign will ensure we continue to provide accessible programming for all while strategically scaling our leadership development programs for more youth across Georgia to meet the demand of our growing student body.”

The $1 million Sustainability Fund will directly support the annual expansion and enhancement of 21st Century Leaders’ programs. These include:

  • Fully Funding a Summer Leadership Institute: Providing a transformative week-long residential experience for 75-100 students, free of charge.
  • Enrolling an Additional 500 Students in Leadership Connect: Expanding access to this cutting-edge, gamified online platform that equips students with essential leadership skills, badging, and certifications.
  • Launching 10 New School and Community-Based Clubs: Reaching 30% more students with peer-to-peer learning and leadership development opportunities across the state.

Investing in the Future Leaders of Georgia

21st Century Leaders is committed to fostering the next generation of Georgia’s leaders. The ​​Empowering Our Future: Sustainability campaign will ensure long-term stability by investing in staff, programs, and partnerships. It also awards scholarships to graduating seniors. This campaign provides an opportunity for individuals, corporations, and foundations to invest in the future of our state.

How to Get Involved

To learn more about the 21st Century Leaders Sustainability Fund and how individuals, corporations, and foundations can contribute to empowering Georgia’s future leaders, please visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org/endowment or contact Kate Hewitt, Executive Director at kate@21stcenturyleaders.org. 

About 21st Century Leaders

21st Century Leaders is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect, transform, and inspire high school students from across the state of Georgia to leverage and promote diversity and inclusion, explore career opportunities, and become leaders across their schools, communities, and, ultimately, the workforce. Through innovative programs and experiences, we cultivate the skills and knowledge necessary for students to thrive in a globalized world. Visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org to learn more about our transformational programs for high school students across Georgia. 

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Alumni Spotlight: James Nixon

One of my favorite lessons learned that I still apply personally and professionally is from the FISH philosophy.  I learned, “even if we disagree, don’t make me wrong.”  This means that there are always different perspectives and often not just one right answer or means to get something accomplished.

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Alumni Spotlight: Nolie Burns

Programs like 21CL are important because they expose students to diverse experiences, people, institutions, and perspectives that they may not receive within their own community. These programs promote post-secondary readiness while creating well-rounded individuals who can take on the world with just a little more confidence than the student who did not get the same exposure.

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Alumni Spotlight: Tavanesha Shepard

For our 35th anniversary, we’ll be sharing the stories of 35 alumni showcasing the leaders they are today and how 21st Century Leaders inspired and impacted their journey. Alumni will represent the 3.5 decades since our founding in 1989 – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Take a read and be inspired!

35th Anniversary Alumni Spotlight

90’s Decade
Name: Tavanesha Shepard
H.S. Grad Year: Class of 1998
High School: Kendrick High School (Columbus, GA)
College: Savannah State University
Current Role: Manager, Talent, AFLAC Inc.

How has your career unfolded and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps going to college, taking on a new leadership role in community/college and after?

I have always been a leader but very recently became a people leader.  I don’t tell people often, but I fought the idea of becoming a people leader for a long time.  Even though everyone around me saw the potential and recognized my leadership skills, it’s not a path I proactively pursued.  But God has a way of intervening in our lives and placing us where we’re supposed to be in his timing. 21st Century Leaders prepared me for my collegiate journey by helping to expose me to college life when I was a sophomore in high school.  By having our leadership programs on a college campus, it literally felt as though we were attending college.  I wanted more of that feeling, so there was no question what the next steps were for me after high school.  From there, I was not afraid to take on leadership roles in the organizations I was a part of in college.  21CL allowed me to develop and exercise the skills that I needed to lead effectively early on, and I continue to use those skills today.

What’s your memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peer, speaking in public for the first time, etc.)

I remember staying on campus at Middle Georgia State University with a few of my classmates and students from other schools and feeling like, “I’m supposed to be here.”  From the team projects that helped me build my collaboration skills to the nuggets of success that I gained from the leaders in attendance, I suspected that leadership was the path that God was steering me towards.  The networking and bonding that took place with the students from other schools and learning from their diverse backgrounds is also one of my favorite memorable experiences.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? 

I would say my leadership style is more of a servant leader.  I’m of the mindset that I work for my team, and one of my main duties is to explore what they need to be successful in their current and future roles.  I believe I adopted the servant leadership style because of the teachings and experiences I encountered at an early age through 21st Century Leaders. The program taught me the importance of humility and empathy in leadership, which are must-have skills for leaders in the 21st century.

Why do you believe programs like 21CL are important? And what advice would you give to a current or future student?

Programs like 21CL are so important because they allow students to experience what’s possible.  It’s eye-opening when we encounter seasoned leaders who never really grasped foundational soft skills that are essential to leading others.  Such programs allow students to begin developing critical leadership skills and begin putting them into action at an early age.  My advice to current or future students is to become a sponge and soak up all the development and leadership experiences that you have an opportunity to engage in, even when it’s an uncomfortable experience.  Growth happens in uncomfortable spaces.

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