St. Louis is one of the most racially segregated cities in the United States, according to a study by the Manhattan Institute. The BBC News article, ‘Crossing a St. Louis street that divides communities’ describes Delmar Boulevard, which spans the city from east to west, as St. Louis’s dividing line from rich to poor and black to white.

Examples of mistrust, intolerance, misunderstanding and inequality are everywhere.  Individuals who cross the “color boundaries” of our city may find themselves being followed, pulled over, and sometimes even harassed.

Cultural Leadership is a program focused on learning about the roots of this inequality and what can be done to change it.

“The goal of Cultural Leadership is to create a future generation of leaders, activists and change agents who will fight for social justice, inclusion and an end to discrimination,” Maggie Harris, the director of Programs and Operations for Cultural Leadership said.

Cultural Leadership is in its ninth year of existence. Each year, the program selects 25-30 high school sophomores and juniors from high schools throughout the greater St. Louis area. Most of the students are either African Americans or Jewish Americans; however, there are white Christian Americans as well. The students spend a full year attending workshops and weekend retreats where they learn about both the African American and Jewish experiences, including the roots of discrimination, prejudice, anti-semitism and social injustice.

“Cultural Leadership has changed my life as well as encouraged my previous thoughts. I have put my ideas into action and already have thought of how I will incorporate social justice into my career. It changed me, because whenever I hear a simple comment that is ignorant or discriminatory, I don’t just sit there. I do something. I say something,” junior Barri Wishne said.

In addition, students participate in a three week “Transformational Journey” in June, at which time they visit places of civil rights and social justice significance, including New York City; Washington D.C.; Atlanta, GA, and many other cities throughout the south. They meet with and learn from leaders who have made – and are still making – significant contributions to improving society, such as Senator Claire McCaskill and Chief Justice Clarence Thomas.

“My most memorable experiences during the transformational journey came from bonding with my village as well as hearing motivational speakers. It was important to me that I really hear what they had to say because after all they started out just like me, not knowing exactly how they would make a difference,” Wishne said.

There is a rigorous selection process in order to find teens that demonstrate curiosity, maturity, a sense of civic responsibility and leadership potential. Once accepted participants spend almost 425 hours in intensive programming.

“I would advise people who are interested in joining to understand that Cultural Leadership is not a simple program. It enhances your abilities to read the facts and take action. Yes, it is a serious program, but it was the most fun and invigorating program I have ever been a part of,” Wishne said. “Cultural Leadership is a place where my true values were met with my classmates. It was a chance to practice the mindset I had had all along, about enduing bigotry. Cultural Leadership wasn’t just a program but a lifestyle to live up to and have fun with at the same time.”

In November 2013, Cultural Leadership will accept applications for the 2014 year. To learn more about the program check out www.culturalleadership.org