Applications Open for Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award

The Youth Council for Positive Development is now accepting applications for the 2025 Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award. The award honors longtime Organization for Black Struggle (OBS) leader Jamala Roger’s legacy of activism and organizing for change in our region. The annual award is given to a young person aged 17 to 26 years old. The applicant must be actively engaging in the promotion of social justice and human rights in the St. Louis metropolitan region. 

Youth interested in applying for the award must submit a concept paper or video of between 500 and 700 words that explains their vision of social justice and how a project they have been involved in has created impact and change for a particular neighborhood or population group. Applicants should elaborate on why youth are important change agents in our society. The application must include a letter from an adult involved in the project who can confirm the applicant’s involvement in the project highlighted by the application. Applicants are also encouraged to include press clippings related to the project.

The 2025 award amount is $3000, and past recipients generally used the money to fund their college educations, community improvement projects, or to pay for training to improve their organizing and leadership skills. The award is open to all youth, regardless of their race, religion, sex, or gender identity. The application deadline is December 31st, 2025. For more information about the Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award and how to apply, visit the website at www.positiveyouthdev.com.