The Obama Foundation's first class of Fellows

Kirk,

Today is an exciting day. I couldn't be happier to introduce you to our inaugural 2018 class of Obama Foundation Fellows.

Join me in welcoming Erin Barnes, Veronica Crespin-Palmer, Clarissa Delgado, Nedgine Paul Deroly, Celina de Sola, Tiana Epps-Johnson, Sasha Fisher, Harry Grammer, Zarlasht Halaimzai, Ashley Hanson, Preethi Herman, Navdeep Kang, Moussa Kondo, Sandor Lederer, Kalani Leifer, Melissa Malzkuhn, Koketso Moeti, Alex Smith, Dominique Jordan Turner, and Keith Wattley.

Read more about these exceptional individuals who represent our 2018 Fellows class: https://www.obama.org/fellowship/2018-fellows/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=obamafound&utm_content=2+-+Read+more+about+these+exceptional+indivi&utm_campaign=20180416_BO_Fellows_full&source=20180416_BO_Fellows_full

I want you to remember their names.

These 20 leaders, representing 11 countries, are tackling some of the toughest challenges in their communities. They are doing the hard work — not for recognition, often without enough resources — because they have a vision of the world as it should be: a little more just, less isolated, more connected.

They are ensuring access to literacy tools for deaf children, working with parents and teachers to improve our schools, and changing the way we treat addiction and approach the opioid crisis. They're building digital platforms to help South African women get connected and start organizing. They're incorporating mental health care into refugee relief.

In Oakland, they're giving young people convicted of serious crimes a second chance when no one else will. In London, these folks are connecting seniors to young people to fight loneliness. In Chicago, our Foundation neighbors are helping at-risk youth finish college and become the next generation of city leaders. In El Salvador, they're mobilizing youth to resist poverty and cycles of violence. And in the Philippines, they're transforming public school teachers into community leaders.

I couldn't be prouder of this group, and I can't wait to learn from them and watch them grow over the next two years. The Foundation will facilitate hands-on trainings, leadership development, coaching, and personalized plans and strategies to help these leaders scale the work they've already started.

These Fellows, and the over 20,000 impressive applicants to the program, are exactly why this Foundation exists. We are successful when we connect and support the next generation of civic leaders. So that's what we're going to do.

Thanks for being part of this work, and for joining me in welcoming our inaugural class of Obama Foundation Fellows. https://www.obama.org/fellowship/2018-fellows/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=obamafound&utm_content=2+-+Read+more+about+these+exceptional+indivi&utm_campaign=20180416_BO_Fellows_full&source=20180416_BO_Fellows_full

- Barack