Transatlantic minority political leadership programme

In a class of its own.

Operation Black Vote has been involved in many partnerships in the last 18 years. A number of those key partnerships includes a long-standing supportive role of the Black students movement - United, an anti-racist, anti-fascist project across Europe. United is part of the UK Black caucus which contributes to the Black manifesto.

But the Transatlantic Minority Political Leadership project holds a very special place for OBV. Back in 2009 USA Congressman Alcee Hastings invited OBV to be part of the project called the Black European Summit, which was held in Brussels. It was the conversation there about a network of minority leaders, fightng prejudice and working better together, which spawned the  present transatlantic collaboration driven and run by the German Marshall Fund with others supporting.

Over the last three years, OBV has played a significant part working with others to train, educate and inspire young minority leaders from the USA and Europe. Our goal is that they become local, national and international leaders from minority communities connected with a common global vision of race equality.

Last week in Brussels witnessed the third and most comprehensive leadership programme to date. Young Black Swedes, Belgians, German-born Turkish politicians, African and Latin Americans, Serbs, Roma from Hungary, and more came to learn, share, and be part of a movement of minorities who are helping transform their countries and the institutions within them.

They learn from us, the trainers, but above all from each other. Their own viewpoints and prejudices are challenged. The potential of what these young men and women might achieve is pushed and pursued to the very limit. Success, from this group is not asked for - it’s demanded of them. And it seems that year after year they relish the strong leadershp challenge.

Success stories from past participants are abound. A young Hawaiian local representative Stanley Cheng, returned home with renewed confidence to think big, is now on the verge of becoming the youngest Congressman in America if he wins the vote later this year.

Daniel Gyamerah and Gabrielle Gun Tank made plans on the plane home from last year’s conference to empower minorities in Germany by holding a series of conferences that would help put Afro-and other minority Germans firmly on the political map. Closer to home, OBV alumni Sanchia Alasia attended last year, and now is one of few Black women to stand for the European Elections in May.

The programme is a week long, high profile and intense. Courses include political strategy, ethics, the media and social media. The group is taken to the Parliament to meet MEP’s, leaders of NGO’s, and powerful lobbyists.

Nearing the end of an intense learning week, the group are invited to the world famous ‘Brussels Forum’: A three day event where political and business leaders from around the world gather and discuss socio-economic issues.

I have no doubt that the young men and women on this year’s programme will produce great things. Even before they came here, they were all inspired individuals. Our role as trainers - David Johns, Jeff Johnson, Laurie Glenn and myself -has been to impart our knowledge and encourage them to raise their game even further. Since Congressman Hastings  early idea, driven now by Lora Berg of the German Marshall Fund, they have helped create a Harvard style leadership programme, and alumni for young minority leaders.

We at OBV are proud to play a small part in this important transatlantic leadership programme.

Simon Woolley

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