Georgia Leadership Lab

The Georgia Leadership Lab is a five-month experience for local immigrant rights advocates seeking to strengthen their transformative leadership and storytelling skills. The experience supports a cohort of leaders who have sought to improve or enrich the lives of Georgia’s immigrant and refugee communities through community involvement. 

Georgia Leadership Lab Fellows participate in two three-day convenings, monthly trainings, and peer-to-peer coaching sessions. Fellows build their confidence as leaders, accelerate their capacities to build influence, and develop storytelling skills for advocacy and narrative change. The cohort also builds connections among community partners from diverse communities.

Georgia Leadership Lab 2025

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta invites you to apply to the Georgia Leadership Lab. The Georgia Leadership Lab is a 5-month cohort-based experience for local immigrant rights advocates seeking to strengthen their skills in storytelling and transformative leadership.

The Georgia Leadership Lab will highlight and support 18 fellows who have sought to improve or enrich the lives of immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC communities in Georgia through community involvement. Fellows will join a cohort of leaders who are creating an ecosystem of narrative power. They will participate in two 3-day convenings, three 1.5-hour meetings, three hour-long peer-to-peer coaching sessions, and a capstone public storytelling event.

Applicants are encouraged to apply in pairs from organizations. Each person will be expected to submit an individual application.

Fellows will also receive a $1,500 stipend to support their participation in the Lab.

The application deadline has been extended to March 17. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by March 28.

Apply now at bit.ly/gll25

For more information, contact: jlee@advancingjustice-atlanta.org

Testimonials

  • “A transformational fellowship that encourages participants to look inward and connect the dots on how their past experiences shape the work that they do today. It felt liberating to be in a space where I felt I could voice my aspirations of what I want my best self to look like."

    Lizette Guevara, Family Connection-Communities in Schools of Athens, 2024 GLL Fellow

  • "My experience has been incredibly eye-opening. Being surrounded by more experienced organizers initially felt a bit intimidating, but it quickly became a space where I could learn. I realized my unique voice and experiences as a young immigrant brought fresh insights to the table."

    Nathania Adhisty, Common Power, 2024 GLL Fellow

  • "I had a wonderful time gaining new skills and creating relationships with colleagues across the state. I learned communications skills that integrate well with advocacy and organizing principles. This has helped me create more comprehensive strategies for my work."

    Urooj Ali, Georgia Muslim Voter Project, 2024 GLL Fellow

  • Leena Ali Headshot

    “It was great meeting other people in similar organizations dealing with immigrants rights in Georgia. I love that we learned about our own organizing styles and how different people can work together. It was amazing to learn about leadership from a community organizing perspective.”

    Leena Ali, Advocacy Coordinator, Migrant Equity Southeast, 2023 GLL Fellow

  • Ruth Youn Headshot

    “As a result of Georgia Leadership Lab, I have made new friends, discovered new resources and found the environment that I had been missing for many years — one that includes immigrants and other AAPI individuals.”

    Ruth Youn, Director of Operations, Asian American Voices for Education, 2023 GLL Fellow

  • Brittany Lopez Headshot

    “I loved learning our leadership style and hearing each other's stories.”

    Brittany Lopez, Civic Engagement Coordinator, U-Lead Athens, 2023 GLL Fellow

2025 Fellows

  • Anar Parikh

    Anar Parikh

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

  • Arsheela Hudda

    Arsheela Hudda

    Georgia Muslim Voter Project

  • Basmat Ahmed

    Basmat Ahmed

    New American Pathways and CRSA

  • Bella Valadez

    Bella Valadez

    Antonini & Cohen Immigration Law

  • Carlos Pacheco

    Carlos Pacheco

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

  • Danait Tekie

    Danait Tekie

    Eritrean American Community Center of GA

  • Frank Lee

    Frank Lee

    85 Community Development Corporation

  • Iman Ali

    Iman Ali

    Sur Legal Collaborative

  • Iman Emdad

    Iman Emdad

    CAIR-Georgia

  • Jenifer Contreras

    Jenifer Contreras

    Migrant Equity Southeast

  • Jenlaya Angel Phomvongsa

    Jenlaya Angel Phomvongsa

    Laotian American Society (LAS)

  • Melissa Castaneda

    Melissa Castaneda

    Gwinnett Coalition

  • Muzhda Oriakhil

    Muzhda Oriakhil

    Friends of Refugees

  • Nicolas Franco-Roldan

    Nicolas Franco-Roldan

    Antonini & Cohen Immigration Law

  • Samiah Rahman

    Samiah Rahman

    Georgia Muslim Voter Project

  • Sebastián Muñoz

    Sebastián Muñoz

    Sur Legal Collaborative

  • Thanh Le

    Thanh Le

    85 Community Development Corporation

  • Yesnely Flores

    Yesnely Flores

    Emory University

2024 Fellows

  • Aline Loza

    Aline Loza

    DIA- Dignidad Inmigrante En Athens

  • Blessing Obinyan

    Blessing Obinyan

    Women Watch Afrika

  • Eduardo Delgado

    Eduardo Delgado

    Migrant Equity Southeast

  • James Johnson

    James Johnson

    Asian American Advocacy Fund

  • Juliana Guerrero

    Juliana Guerrero

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

  • Lizette Guevara

    Lizette Guevara

    Family Connection-Communities in Schools of Athens

  • Namrata Kella

    Namrata Kella

    Asian American Advocacy Fund

  • Nusiaba Abbas

    Nusiaba Abbas

    Sudanese Community of Georgia (SCG)

  • Rachael Ramchand-Persad

    Rachael Ramchand-Persad

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice -Atlanta

  • Sarah Quraishi

    Sarah Quraishi

    Georgia Muslim Action Committee

  • Sonia Osorto

    Sonia Osorto

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

  • Sophia Jetpuri-Naviwala

    Sophia Jetpuri-Naviwala

    Helping the Community

  • Urooj Ali

    Urooj Ali

    Georgia Muslim Voter Project

  • Nathania Adhisty

    Nathania Adhisty

    Common Power - Seattle

2023 Fellows

  • Alexander Nee

    Alexander Nee

    Laotian American Society

  • Asim Javed

    Asim Javed

    Georgia Muslim Voter Project

  • Asmaa Yousif

    Asmaa Yousif

    Refugee Women Network

  • Brittany López

    Brittany López

    U-Lead Athens

  • Hanan Abdelrahman

    Hanan Abdelrahman

    Georgia Muslim Voter Project

  • Jennifer Lee

    Jennifer Lee

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

  • Joel Manrique

    Joel Manrique

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

  • Kalkidan Gebreegziabher

    Kalkidan Gebreegziabher

    Refugee Women Network

  • Kelly Medina

    Kelly Medina

    U-Lead Athens

  • Leena Ali

    Leena Ali

    Migrant Equity Southeast

  • Nicole Kang

    Nicole Kang

    Asian American Advocacy Fund

  • Philmon Mengistab

    Philmon Mengistab

    Eritrean American Community of Georgia

  • Ruth Youn

    Ruth Youn

    Asian American Voices for Education

  • Thông Phan

    Thông Phan

    Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

  • Vincent Sommano

    Vincent Sommano

    Laotian American Society

  • Weonhee Shin

    Weonhee Shin

    Asian American Voices for Education