What is the Emerging Leader Cohort Program? 

The WILL Empower Emerging Leaders Cohort Program convenes a dynamic and diverse cohort of approximately 20 emerging women and gender expansive leaders in worker justice. Cohort participants will discuss their individual leadership styles and work to hone their leadership trajectories. Together, the cohort will interrogate their political voice, enhance organizer sensibilities, engage in peer-coaching, learn ways to incorporate care/resilience practices into their personal and professional lives for one another. 

Participants will include staff, worker leaders, and activists with experience ranging from strategic campaigns; policy and legislation; communications; research and education; representation and member service; and of course organizing for worker justice. The cohort meets virtually and (hopefully) in-person for three retreats over a 12-month period.  

Emerging Leaders Cohort 2022-2023

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Eligible participants must work in a worker justice organization as detailed above; have at least 2 years of work experience in workers’ movements who are 35 years old and younger OR applicants who are 35 and older with between 2-5 years of work experience in workers’ movements.
• Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to improving the conditions and working lives of women and gender expansive people throughout workers’ movements; have approval to participate from organization; and be willing to meet the requirements of the program.

Program Commitments: 

Tech Requirements: Internet Access, Zoom, Box, (possibly) WhatsApp. 

To Apply: Complete the application form and be sure to upload a signed leave request form indicating your supervisor’s agreement to support your full participation in the program, if applicable.  

Program Costs: Full tuition costs for the program are $5500 plus travel costs to and from the final retreat. Scholarships and travel stipends are available.

---

Scholarships are available 

---

Program Components: 

– Movement Building & Innovative Strategies   – Race/Gender Analysis in Movement Work  – Future of Workers & Labor

– Personal Leadership Planning   – Mentoring Program/Peer-Coaching Groups  – Strategic Networking   – Resilience and Balance

For additional information or to inquire about program subsidies, please send an email to willempower.labor@gmail.com.  

What is WILL Empower? 

WILL Empower (We Innovate Labor Leadership) is a bold and ambitious initiative to identify, nurture, cultivate and convene a new generation of labor leaders. WE are women, nonbinary and gender-expansive people, who promote and model relationship building among new and non-traditional leaders. WE are committed to an intersectional gender and racial justice perspective and take a broad, multi-pronged approach to engage worker justice leaders at multiple stages and through interwoven programming.
WILL Empower is a national program jointly housed at Rutgers University’s Center for Innovation in Worker Organization in the School of Management and Labor Relations in New Jersey, and Georgetown University’s Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor in Washington DC.