WHO: 25 Black and Brown young people from across Chicago ages 14-17 who are passionate about creating change in their schools and communities.

$1,000 stipend provided.

Meals, transportation, and field trip costs all provided

The Summer Leadership Institute for four weeks every summer. Fellows study issues of systemic oppression like racism, heterosexism, food justice, the school to prison pipeline, sexism, and more. While learning about the history of social movements and the ways people address these issues now, Fellows also learn community organizing skills and begin to design a youth-led campaign which they implement in the fall. Fellows also go on an overnight Healing Retreat outside of the city.

The 2026 Summer Leadership Institute will run Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm from July 6th to August 1st.

From September to December, Fellows will participate in bi-weekly meetings on Organizing Strategy to continue exploring social justice issues as well as create and implement actions in one of two campaigns:

ARTS IN ACTIVISM – Campaign issues may include: curating an art show, infusing art into an existing campaign, creating workshops fusing art and social movements.

FAIR & JUST SCHOOLS - Campaign issues may include: zero tolerance policies, homophobia in schools, school policy change, working to remove police and punitive discipline in schools, and more.

Both campaigns will bring together 10-12 Fellows to research and identify strategies that address injustices impacting young people.

Actions/tactics taken by Fellows may include but are not limited to curating art shows, developing digital organizing campaigns, plan direct actions, etc.

Complete and submit the full application.

Apply early if you can!

Alumni will lead rolling interviews with incoming Fellows.

“Healing justice is the practice of reimagining wholeness at the intersection of intergenerational trauma, current structures of oppression, and a generative and co-created future. We hold that joy and pleasure create possibility to be in right relationship with ourselves, each other, and the land. We strive to demystify medicine and healing and to make them accessible to everyone. We believe that each person is an expert of their own experience, body and needs, and that it is necessary to address the roots of trauma and injustice for individual and collective transformation” (Allied Media Conference 2018 Healing Justice Practice Space and Healing Justice Track Coordinators).

This approach highlights the benefits of collective healing and uses asset-based approaches to empower marginalized bodies, for their own individual healing as well as the healing of a community. This in tandem with a trauma informed care approach allows for holistic model to create awareness and empowerment for young people and future generations.

Ella Baker was a civil rights organizer and strategist who championed grassroots leadership and the power of ordinary people, especially youth, to drive social change. As a key advisor to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), she helped shape the vision of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools, which centered youth leadership, political education, and community empowerment. Her belief in collective, participatory leadership continues to guide our work at Chicago Freedom School.