The 2027 Multicultural Leadership Academy Application is Now Open!
The 2027 Multicultural Leadership Academy Application is Now Open!
Applications must be completed by Friday, October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST.
About the Multicultural Leadership Academy
The Multicultural Leadership Academy is a professional development program that equips leaders with the skills, networks, and cross-cultural understanding necessary to build and strengthen relationships between Black and Latine communities, drive social change, and advance community empowerment across Illinois.
Given the history of racial segregation, alliance building across communities requires a deliberate and intentional approach. The program acknowledges the significant leadership attributes inherent in the history and cultural DNA of Black and Latine communities. MLA utilizes various modalities, including cultural anthropology, the arts, and the creation of sacred space.
The program consists of a series of workshops on community organizing, policy, arts, and culture and centers the perspectives and leadership traditions of Latine, Afro Latine, and African American communities.