About Us - Brief History

Brief History

New Light Leadership Coalition came into existence through the minds of two young people who felt a need to change and manifest the leadership potential in other youth. NLLC trains youth in leadership development skills and community activism around the country. To date, NLLC has trained over 400 young people locally and nationally through workshops, training programs, and conferences. This organization is operated for youth, by youth, with guidance from our elders.

November 13, 1999: Our pioneer effort was Youth Summit ’99: Preparing to Rule: Leaders of the New Millennium. This event was an initial call for youth to embrace the concept of self-improvement and leadership development. Youth Summit '99 attracted 100 participants throughout the area and various parts of the East Coast.

November 4 – 5, 2000: We held our Second Annual Youth & College Leadership Summit 2000: Empowering Youth through Leadership Development at the Baltimore Convention Center. Congressman Elijah Cummings was among the many inspirational speakers at this two-day conference. Over 200 students, youth leaders, and youth advisors around the country attended our first two-day conference.

November 30 – December 2, 2001: Students from Iowa to Brooklyn participated in the Third Annual Youth & College Leadership Summit, Taking Control of Our Destiny. The response was overwhelming and requests to expand our conference to different cities and to accommodate more people abounded. We also had visitors from the All African Students Union headquartered in Accra, Ghana. This was a pivotal point that led to the realization that our vision could not just be local or regional--but a national movement for youth leadership. Author & activist Kevin Powell was the keynote speaker and participants enjoyed intensive leadership training workshops.

We introduced the Youth Leadership Development Workbook and initiated several youth development partnerships with local, national, and international organizations. In partnership with the NAACP Youth & College Division, NLLC held the Fall 2002 Youth Leadership Development Program at NAACP headquarters in Baltimore. The intensive five-week after school training program was the pilot of the Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP) curriculum and graduated 15 young people from the Baltimore metropolitan area. Completed in June of 2002, this comprehensive youth leadership development curriculum is the result of 2 years of research and experience. It is based on best-practices for positive youth development and our very own peer-training model.

November 8 – 10, 2002: The Fourth Annual Youth & College Leadership Summit: Unveiling the Essence of Leadership featured workshops covering areas from personal to organizational development. Graduates of the Fall 2002 YLDP were honored at the conference. Youth Leaders Roundtable discussions were facilitated to create an agenda for youth leadership. We were determined to spearhead a year-round effort to increase youth activism and involvement in the community through the Youth Empowerment Movement initiative.

In 2003, NLLC held the first Summer Youth Leadership Institute at City Hall in Baltimore. 20 students attended the two-week program during the first two weeks of August. The summer program builds on the existing curriculum and is supplemented with field trips, guest speakers, and a graduation ceremony at the culmination of the program.

November 21– 23, 2003: Our Fifth Annual Youth & College Leadership Summit: The time is now! Sparking a movement for youth empowerment. Youth Leaders Roundtable provided training and workshops in politics, goal setting, time management, and money management. Guest speakers at the conference included Omar Tyree, Cee Cee Michaela, and Youth leader of the year Nadia Campbell. We also focused on community outreach and involvement in public forums, volunteering, and the importance of voter registration.

November 19- 21, 2004: The Sixth Annual Youth & College Leadership Summit: Apathy to action: Mobilizing a new generation of leaders was held at the Washington D.C. Convention Center. This year’s summit featured workshops that were designed to inform youth about educational or occupational options after high school or college graduation. The conference allowed attendees to discover the process that effective leaders utilize to solve problems and bring about positive change in their community.

Throughout our history, we have made a positive impact on hundreds of young people. Our annual conference has placed us in a position to build our coalition to be a stronger force in the community. Our network of youth leaders has grown internationally, and through post-conference initiatives and training programs, we have made significant progress in the movement for youth empowerment.