John Robert Lewis Leaders Program

John Robert Lewis Leaders Program.

Leaders Program Key Stats

Creating positive societal change in partnership with businesses and corporations across America.

4

Cohorts of JRL Leaders

40

Leaders

14 About the Leaders Program

The John Robert Lewis Leaders program is designed to build a nationwide network of emerging leaders who organize with discipline and unity to create positive societal change based on the nonviolent perspective that transformed the nation and the world toward freedom – the American Civil Right Movement.

Two parallel cohorts – John Robert Lewis Leaders and John Robert Lewis Scholars & Fellows – will work in a single program to cultivate an intergenerational transfer and exchange of wisdom, inspiration, and methods for action.

Testimonials From Leaders

Peter Dumas

Fluor Corporation

Donovan Bonner

NIKE, Inc.

Kaylan Bailey

Boston Scientific

Veronica Mak

RTX

James Setterlund

Wells Fargo

“I’ve learned a lot about our history here and really how our forefathers mobilized together to get things done. I’ve learned how to identify issues and what’s needed in order to move the ball forward. I’ve learned that I am a player in this game, the baton has been passed on to us to carry on the work of doctor Martin Luther King Jr., the work of John Robert Lewis, and now it is with us to move it forward, to pass it on for generations to come.”

Roger Gousse
— NIKE, Inc.

“This is my first time to Selma, Alabama, Alabama in general, and the trip has been incredibly powerful. One of the things that I think has resonated for me has been just the sheer courage that it took all these amazing people to get through a horrific time, and the legacy that they have left behind. As we sort of transition into a new generation how do we all think about picking up that torch and carrying it forward. I think we need to be really thoughtful about how we work together across the aisle. It’s going to be a real challenge, there’s a lot of work cut out still for the future, but I’m also hopeful that we’ll be able to learn a lot from each other to carry on the torch.”

Kevin Miller
— Microsoft

“This pilgrimage has truly been a transformative experience for me. Especially going to Dr. Richard Harris’s house, that’s a story that most of us aren’t told. I feel as though everyone should know that story and how he helped people during the freedom rides As I go home it makes me think about what can I do and what will I do going forward to try and make a change in any way that I can.”

Dr. Osyria Webster
— RTX

Program Outline

(2025 – 2026)

May 2025 (TBD), 7-8 pm ET Virtual Orientation Webinar via Zoom, July 15-17, 2025 Washington, D.C. Opening Convocation

Leaders will participate in a 3-day opening program together with the Scholars & Fellows near the White House and National Mall. FPI is assembling exemplary leaders, instructors, and practitioners to teach and discuss the merits of the nonviolence philosophy from a historical perspective; define principles and strategies; and identify their applicability to modern times, current issues, and everyday life. While in D.C., Leaders will also have the opportunity to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and other sites significant to the African American Freedom struggle.

6 Virtual Conversations on Racial, Economic, and Social Inequities:

Program participants will join 6 two-hour sessions in September ‘25, November ‘25, January ‘26, February ‘26 April ‘26, and May ‘26 (exact dates TBD) exploring American history of race and public policy with policymakers, practitioners, and academic researchers. These sessions take place on Sunday afternoons from 3-5pm ET. Special guests – political leaders and subject matter experts – are invited to discuss the following the topics (*topics subject to change).

March 4-8, 2026, Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage

Leaders will have an opportunity to join FPI’s Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage honoring communities of ordinary people who did extraordinary things to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice.

Mid-July 2026 (TBD), Washington, D.C. Closing Convocation

Program participants will regather in Washington, D.C. for the final part of the program. They will have the opportunity to present their oral history projects, meet with their Senators and Representatives, visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and pass the torch to the new cohort of Leaders.

Essential References

There are many rich primary and secondary sources that will come up during program discussions. We will provide a list of selected references, which will provide historical, philosophical, and spiritual context to John Lewis’ leadership and that of some of his close contemporaries. We encourage Leaders to explore the readings, videos, podcasts, and films in advance so they will be able to engage more fully with our program guests throughout the course of the program.

Oral History Project

One of the most meaningful parts of this program is the opportunity for every Leader to engage in an Oral History Project. The goal of this project is not only to connect more deeply into the work of people in our own communities, but to learn through their stories – the challenges, struggles, opportunities, and triumphs of those who have been engaged in creating positive societal change. Leaders will have the opportunity to present their project during the closing convocation in July 2026.