The Victory Institute today announced a groundbreaking fellowship to support openly transgender and openly LGBT people of color who are both leaders in their communities and interested in public service.
In partnership with the Arcus Foundation, Victory will select ten fellows to receive full scholarships to attend the organization’s Candidate and Campaign Training and the annual International LGBT Leadership Conference. Fellows will also receive one-on-one support from Victory staff and hand-picked mentors.
“Victory works to identify leaders and make sure they have the resources they need to be successful,” said Torey Carter, interim executive director of the Victory Institute. “LGBT people of color and transgender people often face unique barriers to serving as public officials, which is why they are still vastly underrepresented in government. This fellowship is the beginning of a focused effort to change that.”
“This innovative program comes at a key moment for transgender people and LGBT people of color,” said Kim Coco Iwamoto, Hawaii Civil Rights Commissioner and Victory Institute board member. “It will empower LGBT leaders who are already making a difference in the world, helping to hone their skills and further their leadership potential.”
The Victory Institute is now accepting applications for the 2015 cohort of Victory Empowerment Fellows. The program is open to transgender people and LGBT people of color. For more information, visit the Victory Empowerment Fellowship webpage or contact Victory staff.
