Freedom Center launches young leadership development program
Be the Conductor® program accepting applications until January 30
CINCINNATI – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is launching a young leadership development program and is actively recruiting its first cohort.
Be the Conductor® Young Changemakers Leadership Lab is an eight-week social justice leadership experience that will help adults ages 18-25 study the past, understand the present, and lead justice-centered change in their communities, schools and careers in the future.
“Young people have great ideas, energy and potential to realize the Freedom Center’s mission of inclusive freedom in our communities and around the world,” said Woodrow Keown, Jr., President and COO of the Freedom Center. “We believe bringing young people into our space and engaging them through learning and development is how we can help them achieve that potential.”
The Be the Conductor® Young Changemakers Leadership Lab is designed for people ages 18-25 who are committed to creating positive change in their schools, neighborhoods and communities. Through eight weeks of workshops, mentorship and hands-on projects, participants will strengthen their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of equity and justice, and collaborate with peers to design meaningful community impact initiatives
“Communication, cultural competency, emotional intelligence — these are all skills that can be learned and practiced at any age or stage,” said Shawnee Turner, VP Education and Interpretation at the Freedom Center. “The Be the Conductor® program is designed for participants to apply what they are learning about social justice in real time, and they can practice those leadership skills again and again, in their lives and careers, no matter what they go on to do"
The program curriculum is structured around the Conductor Pathway, which is organized into four parts: See, Sense, Skill, and Serve. Through these four lenses, participants will explore core concepts of social justice including identity, equity, access, and collective responsibility, develop and practice community leadership skills such as facilitation, collaboration and project design. They’ll also have the chance to engage with local leaders, artists, organizers, and educators as they work on an Impact Project that brings all of the concepts together.
Those interested in participating must complete the application on the Freedom Center website by January 30, 2026.