Citizens' Leadership Academy

The Citizens' Leadership Academy (CLA) is a grassroots leadership development project for caring, community-conscious people. The purpose of the academy is to equip emerging community leaders with tools to organize, mobilize, develop and engage citizens.

The 2009 Academy

The 2009, 12-week academy, was hosted in the East End neighborhood on Tuesday nights. Eighteen participants celebrated at the final graduation session in November. Along with congratulatory and inspirational comments from guest speakers, graduates also described the community projects they conducted with supporting grants from LexLinc. These projects included the William Wells Brown pride building project, to educate East End residents about the author for whom the neighborhood is named, and a domestic violence education and empowerment seminar, called the Ribbons of Hope event. Graduates were also invited to make personal comments, many of which revealed their dedication in making a significant difference in the community. LexLinc provided a reception following the ceremony for the graduates and their many guests in the audience.

Click here for the 2009 CLA Curriculum.

Click here for pictures from the 2009 academy.

History

In early 2004, the LexLinc Community Involvement Team identified a need to train neighborhood advocates to better lead their community and formed the program through a partnership with the East End Empowerment Project and the University of Kentucky Community Outreach Partnership Center. The first 25 participants graduated the 12-week course in the spring of 2004. To date, 94 people have graduated from the academy. As of 2006, the Citizens’ Leadership Academy will be offered each fall and is supported and coordinated by LexLinc and its neighborhood partners. While the sessions are offered at alternating neighborhood centers, they are open and free to the entire community.

As part of the project, LexLinc makes mini-grants available to graduates to immediately put their new skills to use. Several alumni have also run for public office including Andrea James, the first African American woman ever elected to LFUCG's City Council.

The Citizen's Leadership Academy now has over 120 graduates.

Click here to see a list of all CLA graduating class members.