Immigrants Lead Boston

Immigrants Lead Boston will provide participants with learning experiences and connections. The program can help advance your path forward as a leader, professional, and advocate in your community.

The program aims to build on participants’ knowledge, skills, and relationships. We want them to be effective leaders and ambassadors for their communities. Participants will grow their ability to navigate City government, engage with City officials, and advocate for their communities. Topics include:

• civic engagement and community organizing
• how to find your purpose and share your story through public narrative
• building leadership teams to make your dreams of community change real
• economic mobility opportunities for yourself and your community
• housing access and advocacy 
  • shelter and emergency housing
  • rent stabilization
  • homeownership and social housing 
• public health and community mental health and wellbeing 
• designing for public safety in your community 
  • safe communities act
• Public education, student services, and tuition equity, tuition free community college
• racism equity

Each participant will take part in civic engagement activities throughout the program. They will apply the skills, knowledge, and relationships formed during the course to learn how to address issues and advocate for their communities.

Candidates must be Boston residents, immigrants, proficient in English, Spanish, or Haitian Creole, and at least 18 years old. They also need to be able to commit 4 hours a week. Candidates must be committed to:

• learning civic engagement and leadership skills
• engaging with City of Boston government and officials, and
• leading and supporting their immigrant communities.

Not everyone who applies will be selected. Only selected candidates will be eligible to receive the scholarship.

The summer 2025 course is 10 weeks, from August 20 to October 22, 2025. It includes a welcome ceremony, eight content-rich sessions, and a graduation ceremony. Classes are on Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 pm and Saturdays. The summer 2025 course will be hybrid, with both in-person and virtual sessions. Participants must attend all ceremonies and sessions and engage in civic activities outside of the sessions. 
 

• In-person: Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 6 pm - 8 pm — Welcome Ceremony & Session 1
• Virtual: Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6 – 9 pm — Session 2
• In-person: Saturday, September 6, 2025, 9 am – 3 pm — 1st day of a 2.5-day training — Session 3
• Virtual: Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 6 – 9 pm — Session 4
• In-person: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 9 am – 3 pm — 2nd day of a 2.5-day training — Session 3 continued
• Virtual: Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 6 – 9 pm — Session 5
• In-person: Saturday, October 4, 2025, 11 am – 2 pm — Session 6
• Virtual: Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 6 – 9 pm — Session 7
• In-person: Saturday, October 18, 2025, 11 am – 2 pm — Session 8
• In-person: Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 6 – 8 pm — Graduation

Each participant will receive a scholarship of $575. The full amount of the scholarship will be distributed at the end of the program. Participants are expected to fully take part in the sessions, projects, and activities of the program. If there is an emergency and participants cannot attend a session, they will need to immediately communicate with the program coordinator to make up for the missed session. 

The scholarship rewards participants for their time and commitment to learn, lead, and advocate for their communities. Because not every resident can make this commitment without support, this scholarship ensures equitable access to government for all residents.

We will work with you to make sure you have access to the technology you need to take part in this program.

There is no application fee to apply. Only selected candidates are eligible for the scholarship. You can find more information in our online form.

The deadline to apply for the summer 2025 course is July 18, 2025. We will notify selected applicants by August 4, 2025.