Public Allies
Public Allies is an American nonprofit organization that operates an AmeriCorps program and is dedicated to leadership development.[1] Its mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it.[2]
Founded
History[edit]
Public Allies was founded in 1992 by Vanessa Kirsch and Katrina Browne, college graduates who wanted to challenge the notion that their generation was apathetic and uncaring.[3] Grounded in the belief that the untapped energy and idealism of young people can be a powerful force for transforming communities, Kirsch and Browne created Public Allies to provide a pipeline for diverse young leaders to begin careers in public life.
The first Public Allies program was launched in Washington, D.C., with 14 Allies (members), with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Surdna Foundation.[4] Its first year, the program also received a demonstration grant from the Commission for National and Community Service, under President George H. W. Bush.
In 1993, Public Allies Chicago was launched with 30 Allies under the leadership of founding Executive Director Michelle Obama. She served as Chicago director until 1996, and then as a national board member from 1997 to 2001. Also in 1993, President Bill Clinton named Public Allies as a model for national service.[5]
In 1994, Public Allies, along with Habitat for Humanity and YouthBuild, were among the first recipients of AmeriCorps grants, which allowed for expansion to Delaware, Milwaukee, and North Carolina. In 1995, Public Allies opened a site Silicon Valley and San Francisco, followed by Cincinnati (1998), New York and Los Angeles (1999), and Eagle Rock, Colorado (2002). Additional sites include Connecticut (2004); Arizona and Pittsburgh (2006); Miami, New Mexico, and San Antonio (2007); Indianapolis and Maryland (2009); Central Florida and the Twin Cities (2010); and Detroit and Iowa (2013).
In 2018, Jaime E. Uzeta was appointed CEO, replacing Adren O. Wilson, Ph.D., who served since 2014, and Paul Schmitz, who had served since 2000.
Public Allies has nearly 10,000 alumni.
In July 2022, the organization fired many staff and directors who were pushing for better pay and working conditions. Shortly after the Public Allies Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Uzeta, Jenise Terrell, a Public Allies alumna and long-time staffer, was appointed as the Interim CEO. In February 2023, Terrell was named CEO of Public Allies.
Logo[edit]
The Public Allies logo draws on Native American tradition to illustrate the impact individuals can have on their world. The handprint depicted in the logo represents the mark that people leave on their communities and on the people they touch in the course of their lives. The red swirl stands for the energy and idealism that drive people to serve their communities. The seven rays refer to a philosophy regarding the interconnectedness of the generations—the belief that an individual living today has been influenced by the three preceding generations and that the individual will go on to leave a legacy impacting the three generations to follow.
Public Allies’ six core values are integrated into the program: