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Press Release
Ayada Leads Launches Leadership Fellowship for 2026
April 4th 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ayada Leads is now accepting applications for its Summer 2026 Leadership Fellowship. As the nation’s largest resource for African immigrant women in politics, Ayada Leads is launching a 13-week, hybrid program. The program is designed to equip deeply engaged community leaders and advocates with the political skills, leadership development, and confidence needed to organize and lead within their communities. Selected participants will form the fellowship’s inaugural cohort.
“At Ayada Leads, we believe African immigrant women deserve not just a seat at the table, but the power to shape it. This fellowship is about building the confidence, skills, and community needed to step into leadership and transform our political landscape.”
- Dr. Habon Abdulle, Executive Director
Applications can be submitted now through May 15th, 2026.
The program will be capped at 20 fellows.
Applicants for the Summer Fellowship should exhibit the following attributes:
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Experience serving as an organizational leader or advocate in their community
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Interest in building community power or a history of doing so
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Interest in working in political and/or community organizing
Ayada Leads in the news
Here are some current news articles featuring our organization.
In the face of the Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge, restaurants and small businesses throughout the Twin Cities have repeatedly shown how much they care about their community, hosting fundraisers and donation drives to aid people, organizations, and other businesses in need.
Inkwell Booksellers in Minneapolis: Through Feb. 28, it's donating 20% of proceeds from its Cinnamon Honey Lattes to Ayada Leads.
Members of Ayada Leads joined a group of Minnesotans in Selma to mark 61 years since Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a turning point that helped pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. with MPR News host Nina Moini.
"The fear is High, parents are worried about their children[...]
Trust has been eroded[...] What we are seeing goes beyond standard immigration enforcement, it feels like an attack on the entire community."
Patrollers attended a “Know Your Rights Training” hosted by Ayada Leads, an organization that promotes leadership development for African diaspora women in Minnesota. The training gave the women foundational knowledge and best practices to protect their neighbors.
Executive director of the nonprofit Ayada Leads, said TPS is a program that offers a lifeline to people fleeing conflict, disasters, and other crises
“Temporary Protected Status is not a loophole or a favor, it’s a humanitarian commitment.”
“Lots of people hadn’t heard that gas stoves cause indoor air pollution,” explains Ayada Leads’ policy coordinator, who led this summer’s project to help their community members visualize indoor air pollution.