Black Student Leadership Network
The Black Student Leadership Network (BSLN) is a dynamic program designed to nurture the next generation of Black servant leaders. The Black Student Leadership Network provides opportunities to center and amplify young people’s voices to shape a brighter tomorrow for their generation and the generations to follow.
We provide financial support, training resources, and community engagement/building opportunities to college-aged organizers, equipping them to become advocates for justice, equity, opportunity, and well-being on their campuses and in their local communities. From pre-K through college, we’re committed to mentoring, supporting, and uplifting as students guide us toward a future where children, especially our most marginalized, are provided every opportunity to thrive.
Core Components
BSLN Convening
Held annually on CDF’s Alex Haley Farm, our BSLN Convening provides students with space to develop lifelong connections with fellow student organizers from across the country. Attendees engage in thoughtful and enriching training on how to lead in community organizing, strategy development and implementation, public policy, and social justice spaces in their campus and local communities.
Fellowship Program
The BSLN Fellowship Program offers an enriching opportunity for college students to engage and learn more about community organizing and public policy. Over a transformative year-long hybrid journey, Campus Ambassadors and Program Fellows from campuses across the nation engage in interactive trainings on organizing, develop strategic initiatives to implement and transform their campuses, and build a community of support among peers.
Shaping Public Narrative
Join us in championing a powerful movement dedicated to equipping the present generation of Black leaders. Alongside our transformative Conference and Fellowship Program, BSLN participants can collaborate with BSLN Alumni, CDF Freedom Schools® sites, and influential contemporary Black leaders. Serving as invaluable historians, mentors, and strategic allies, they walk alongside and inspire students within the BSLN Network. Together, we’re building a legacy of empowered advocates, ensuring that the voices of tomorrow are heard today and that they are empowered to unleash the joy in growing up.