New Leaders Council

#WorkingWomenWednesday or #WCW? Either way, we love this shot of NLC Director of Programs & Operations Ambar Mendez (NLC Arkansas 2020) hard at work in Tulsa, prepping hundreds of Fellows for NLC Orientation—featured in Tulsa World! ID: Ambar Mendez with New Leaders Council works at the new Gradient facility on Monday, which was move-in day for many members. Credit: Mike Simons, Tulsa World

Feeling overwhelmed by the news? You're not alone. 🌍💭 Take a moment to tune out & recharge—step away from the scroll, set boundaries, and protect your peace. Because rest isn't retreat—it's resistance. ID: A colorful infographic titled "How to Tune Out & Recharge" with the subtitle "When the news becomes too much." The background features a bright blue sky with green, pink, blue, and yellow thought bubbles, each containing a section with tips. Step Away from the Scroll: Set app limits or schedule social media breaks. Unfollow accounts that increase stress. Switch doomscrolling for intentional reading. Pause before you share. Find a News Balance: Get updates from trusted sources at set times, skip the comment section chaos, and give yourself permission to disconnect. Connect with Your Community: Connect with uplifting friends, attend local events or volunteer, and seek support from like-minded spaces. Prioritize Rest & Recharge: Do things that bring you joy, no explanation needed. Stay Grounded in Action: Find small ways to support what matters, learn about local organizations making a difference, and remember that rest is resistance too. Taking a pause doesn’t make you a weak leader—it makes you a sustainable one. New Leaders Council logo.

"Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words from Letter from Birmingham Jail remind us that injustice isn’t just fueled by hate, it’s sustained by those who choose comfort over change. We honor his legacy by rejecting complacency and taking bold action for justice. ID: A bold digital graphic featuring a stylized portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in blue, pink, and green hues on the right side of the image. The background is a dark blue with scattered dots. The text on the left is an excerpt from Letter from Birmingham Jail in bold white, pink, and green fonts. "ID: “…the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter From The Birmingham Jail.

If we woke up to this message, we’d be terrified. What happens when we stop investing in leadership? We lose the voices shaping the future. NLC refuses to let that happen. We’re training diverse, bold leaders now, because progress doesn’t wait. Neither should you. In all seriousness, we recognize that many of our alumni have used TikTok to amplify their platforms, spread love, and advocate for equity. No matter what platform change happens on, NLC is committed to building leaders and equipping them with the tools they need to make an impact, online, offline, and everywhere in between. ID: A fake TikTok-style pop-up message appears on a dark screen with the "For You" tab highlighted at the top. The message reads: "Sorry, leadership isn’t available right now." Below, the message continues: "A lack of investment in leadership development has been enacted in your community. Unfortunately, that means you can’t access the next generation of changemakers for now. We are fortunate that New Leaders Council has indicated that they will work with us on a solution to build proximate, equitable leadership. Stay tuned!" At the bottom of the message, two buttons appear: "Learn more" and "Close app." The rest of the screen mimics the TikTok interface, with icons for "Home," "Friends," and "Profile" at the bottom.

New Leaders Council would like to wish a Happy Founders' Day to the members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. as they celebrate 105 years! Zeta Phi Beta was founded on January 16, 1920, at Howard University. Featured in this photo is Jokho Farah (NLC Twin Cities 2018). ID: Blue and white design. NLC alumni in sororities and fraternities.

New Leaders Council would like to wish a Happy Founders' Day to the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. as they celebrate 117 years! Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University. Featured in this photo are Chaunte’ Gilmore (NLC Oklahoma 2018) and Jocelyn Collins (NLC Maryland 2018). ID: Pink and green design. NLC alumni in sororities and fraternities.

Another giant has joined us as an ancestor. Mr. Charles Person, the youngest original Freedom Rider, graced us with his presence last year at the 2024 New Leaders Council Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. His charge to us, while sitting in the historic Booker T. Washington High School—only a few blocks away from Morehouse College, where he started his activism journey as a young teen—was, “Don’t give up. You have to believe in you. I believe in you because the future is in your hands.” Mr. Person, we thank you for spending time with us during the Convention, for staying longer, and for personally signing each attendee's copy of your memoir, Buses Are a Comin': Memoir of a Freedom Rider. We will forever remember your words and will carry on your charge. ID: Collage of Mr. Charles Person, the youngest original Freedom Rider, featuring photos of him smiling, speaking, and signing his memoir, Buses Are a Comin'. The quote reads, “Don’t give up. You have to believe in you. I believe in you because the future is in your hands.” Below, his name and dates: Mr. Charles Person, September 27, 1942 – January 8, 2025, with the New Leaders Council logo.

New Leaders Council would like to wish a Happy Founders Day to the members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. as they celebrate 112 years! Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913, at Howard University. Featured in this photo are Brittany Marshall (NLC Atlanta 2018) and Sandy-Asari Hogan (NLC Atlanta 2019). ID: Crimson and cream design. NLC alumni in sororities and fraternities.

New Leaders Council's first virtual orientation is officially in session today for the Class of 2025. Let’s give a warm welcome to our 2025 Fellows as they kick off their journey to learning, leading, and transforming communities. 💪🌟 Comment to welcome our new changemakers and tag your chapter! Class of 2025, we want to hear from you too! Check in below and let us know how you're feeling! ID: A notebook page with a New Leaders Council logo at the top, handwritten-style text that reads "NLC Orientation Class is in session" and "How I feel today: I'm looking forward to meeting my cohort from across the country!" Below, there are doodles featuring words like "Success," "Solution," "Plan," and "Ideas," along with arrows and light bulb sketches. A pencil is placed on the notebook, surrounded by a keyboard, colored pencils, and a cup of coffee.

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our #NLCFamily member Ernest Levert, Jr. (NLC Columbus 2021). While his greatness was always known to the NLC Columbus chapter, on a national level, our NLC Family fell in love with him and his love of chess and community through his participation in the 2023 Capstone Clash, highlighting his ChessMakers Cooperative. Please keep his loved ones and those who knew him in your thoughts. -- ID: Our beloved Ernest Levert, Jr. is now an ancestor. December 10, 1990 - January 8, 2025 “Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.” - Leo Tolstoy On January 8th, 2025, Ernest Levert, Jr., died in Chicago, IL, surrounded by loved ones. On April 3, 2024, Ernest suffered a ruptured aneurysm, stroke, and related medical emergencies that led to severe brain damage. Having survived the initial episode, Ernest showed hopeful signs of recovery over the months that followed. Ultimately, the toll of all that Ernest went through, and the unrelenting journey of recovery, pushed his body to the brink. To know Ernest is to know that L’s are not losses, rather lessons. So we have not lost, rather we are lifted up and affirmed in a final lesson. Ernest fought to live these last few months and gave us extra time together - to love and be loved in return. Please remember in your prayers his wife Ivory, their daughter Zamya, and son Zenith, his parents Ernest Sr. and Dr. Rhonda Hagey-Levert, sister and brother-in-law Chantale and Bryant Hedgeman, nephew LJ, and those near and far who loved him and whom he loved back. Details regarding services and such are forthcoming. “When we love someone - be it a friend, family member, or spouse - we open ourselves up to the potential for loss. Yet, we take the plunge, and embrace these relationships, for it is through these connections that we really live. The pain of loss feels insurmountable, but opening your heart to friendship and to love are the keys to truly living again.” - Ernest Levert, Jr., 2018