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NEW ORLEANS – This week, the Mayor’s Office of Youth & Families celebrated the culmination of its first Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) cohort. PLTI is a free, 20- week leadership development program designed to help parents become stronger advocates for children by equipping them with civic leadership skills necessary to engage with government, analyze civic issues and bring about change.
"I extend my deepest gratitude for the parent leaders who stepped up and took advantage of this opportunity in order to build a better future for our children. In the midst of a global pandemic, these parents remained committed to continuing the program and their vision for a better, family-focused New Orleans. All of our children deserve to live in a city that sets them up for success, and the responsibility is on all of us to ensure that happens," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Through the support of the National Parent Leadership Institute, the Kresge Foundation and Wisner funds, the Office of Youth & Families (OYF) relaunched PLTI in the Fall of 2019. The program was previously hosted by the nonprofit organization, Orleans Public Education Network, and the Mayor’s Office decided to relaunch the program within city government because of Mayor Cantrell’s deep commitment to civic engagement and community advocacy. Before the onset of the local COVID-19 outbreak, the group met on a weekly basis at Union Bethel AME church where dinner, childcare, and transportation were provided. It was important that the program lived up to its commitment to diversity and inclusion so OYF partnered with Bancha Lenguas to provide real-time translation and interpretation to ensure that language access was not a barrier to participation.
Mayor Cantrell provided the keynote address to the 18 graduates and congratulated the cohort for their numerous accomplishments, persistence and commitment to making the world better for our children. In line with the program’s emphasis on civic leadership, Mayor Cantrell urged the group to stay engaged in upcoming elections and participate in and promote the 2020 Census. The Mayor participated through the entire ceremony to hear parents present their community projects, which covered topics such as language justice, juvenile justice, mental health and food security.
The Office of Youth & Families plans to accept applications for the next cohort this Winter. For more information on the Parent Leadership Training Institute, visit the website here.
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