Leaders of the Free World is about psychological emancipation.
We define the "Free World" as a place that is beyond fears and mental barriers. It's the place where you redefine your existence, affirm your purpose, and discover your own personal power and leadership potential.
Test your limits. Step outside of your comfort zone. The world awaits.
We define the "Free World" as a place that is beyond fears and mental barriers. It's the place where you redefine your existence, affirm your purpose, and discover your own personal power and leadership potential.
Test your limits. Step outside of your comfort zone. The world awaits.
Why LFW?
At LFW, we believe in providing opportunities for international experience for young, Black men. International experiences provide an immense value to an individual and the global community by diversifying the global leadership landscape. By providing access to opportunities for students to develop a global mindset and pursue education and employment abroad, we are working to cultivate a new generation of global leaders.
LFW focuses on the personal and professional development of young Black men in order to help them become those leaders, both on campus or in their lives ahead. LFW programs combine personal and professional development, cultural exchange, community service, and mentorship. We emphasize goal-setting and accountability to help students cultivate a sense of self-mastery, personal growth, and self efficacy. Our mission is to develop a community of dynamic leaders who are globally-minded, self-aware, and service-driven.
LFW focuses on the personal and professional development of young Black men in order to help them become those leaders, both on campus or in their lives ahead. LFW programs combine personal and professional development, cultural exchange, community service, and mentorship. We emphasize goal-setting and accountability to help students cultivate a sense of self-mastery, personal growth, and self efficacy. Our mission is to develop a community of dynamic leaders who are globally-minded, self-aware, and service-driven.
Why Focus on Young Black Men?
Throughout the United States today, Black Americans still experience disparities in education, economic mobility, and social and physical well-being. According to Pew Research Center, “Black men were more than six times as likely as white men in 2010 to be incarcerated” (2013, p. 5), and recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that unemployment rate for Black men is more than three percentage points greater than that for white men (2022, April 1). Black communities that were subjected to redlining have lower life expectancies, higher rates of chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and pulmonary disease, and are more vulnerable to natural disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic (Godoy, 2020, November 19). As reported by CNN, "Black professionals in 2018 held just 3.3% of all executive or senior leadership roles," and "Among Fortune 500 companies, less than 1% of CEOs are Black" (Sahadi, 2020, June 2).
These inequalities persist in higher education as well. Every year, a large percentage of Black men enrolled in U.S. colleges leave without achieving their intended degree; in 2016, fewer than 4 in 10 Black students completed a college degree or certificate program within 6 years of enrolling (Shapiro et al., 2017, p. 9). Black men also lag behind Black women in educational attainment; the same study found that male students had lower completion rates across the board, but “Black men, overall, had the lowest completion rate (33.5 percent)” (Shapiro et al., 2017, p. 9).
LFW aims to join initiatives like the White House’s My Brother’s Keeper and the Corporation for Black Male Achievement (formerly the Campaign for Black Male Achievement) in highlighting and addressing inequality. By focusing on young Black men enrolled in college, we hope to change these statistics and help create a more equitable future.
These inequalities persist in higher education as well. Every year, a large percentage of Black men enrolled in U.S. colleges leave without achieving their intended degree; in 2016, fewer than 4 in 10 Black students completed a college degree or certificate program within 6 years of enrolling (Shapiro et al., 2017, p. 9). Black men also lag behind Black women in educational attainment; the same study found that male students had lower completion rates across the board, but “Black men, overall, had the lowest completion rate (33.5 percent)” (Shapiro et al., 2017, p. 9).
LFW aims to join initiatives like the White House’s My Brother’s Keeper and the Corporation for Black Male Achievement (formerly the Campaign for Black Male Achievement) in highlighting and addressing inequality. By focusing on young Black men enrolled in college, we hope to change these statistics and help create a more equitable future.
Why International Experiential Learning?
International experience provides a student with opportunities for intentional self-reflection and deepening their understanding of global and cultural issues, as well as cultivating a sense of responsibility as local and global citizen (Bringle and Hatcher, 2011). For young Black men, international travel also offers a reprieve from the U.S. historical context of Black racial identity, and “diasporic travel” has been found to serve as a catalyst for academic achievement, motivation, and positive career outcomes (Kronholz & Osborn, 2016). LFW strives to provide our Fellows with structured international experiential learning in order to help them develop new frames of reference and deeper levels of engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.
The Importance of Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capability to successfully achieve set goals (Bandura, 1993), and helps individuals deal with challenges that arise when they pursue those goals. Students’ self-efficacy can be positively influenced by mastering new challenges, seeing positive role models master similar challenges, and receiving encouragement from people around them. LFW believes self-efficacy and leadership skills go hand-in-hand and our Fellowship program is designed to bolster self-efficacy and as an integral part of personal development, creating more confident and successful leaders of tomorrow.
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 1). E-16. Unemployment rates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpsee_e16.htm
Godoy, M. (2020, November 19). In U.S. cities, the health effects of past housing discrimination are plain to see. NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/19/911909187/in-u-s-cities-the-health-effects-of-past-housing-discrimination-are-plain-to-see
Pew Research Center. (2013). King’s dream remains an elusive goal; Many Americans see racial disparities. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/08/final_full_report_racial_disparities.pdf
Sahadi, J. (2020, June 2). After years of talking about diversity, the number of black leaders at US companies is still dismal. CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/02/success/diversity-and-black-leadership-in-corporate-america/index.html
Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Huie, F., Wakhungu, P., Yuan, X., Nathan, A & Hwang, Y., A. (2017, April). A national view of student attainment rates by race and ethnicity – Fall 2010 cohort (Signature report no. 12b). National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Signature12-RaceEthnicity.pdf
Godoy, M. (2020, November 19). In U.S. cities, the health effects of past housing discrimination are plain to see. NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/19/911909187/in-u-s-cities-the-health-effects-of-past-housing-discrimination-are-plain-to-see
Pew Research Center. (2013). King’s dream remains an elusive goal; Many Americans see racial disparities. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/08/final_full_report_racial_disparities.pdf
Sahadi, J. (2020, June 2). After years of talking about diversity, the number of black leaders at US companies is still dismal. CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/02/success/diversity-and-black-leadership-in-corporate-america/index.html
Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Huie, F., Wakhungu, P., Yuan, X., Nathan, A & Hwang, Y., A. (2017, April). A national view of student attainment rates by race and ethnicity – Fall 2010 cohort (Signature report no. 12b). National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Signature12-RaceEthnicity.pdf
Leaders of the Free World is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax exempt under U.S. federal law. Checks for Leaders of the Free World should be made out to "Leaders of the Free World" and mailed to: Leaders of the Free World, 276 Bridge St Springfield, MA 01103