The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) created to empower young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. This cohort of fellows is hosted in collaboration with Wayne State University and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). This cohort of fellows will be hosted at 28 different educational institutions across the United States. This six-week program is designed to support the development of these fellows leadership skills through academic study, skill-building workshops, and collaboration with Americans. Wayne State University along with other institutes will be helping to strengthen connections between the United States and Africa, establishing enduring partnerships between fellows, local communities, and private businesses.