U.S. EMBASSY ANNOUNCES 2023 COHORT OF THE YOUNG LEADERS OF THE AMERICAS INITIATIVE
Zendini Bibby of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have been accepted to the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship.
Bibby was accepted to the program from a field of over 1,800 applicants.
Zendini works in the Food and Beverage sector, leading Zendulgence “Scoopful of Luxury.” Zendini is a professional baker and science teacher creating dessert experiences that are allergen friendly.
Coming into the YLAI Fellowship, their top business challenge is scaling and expansion. During the host placement, this fellow hopes to learn about the dynamics and infrastructural plans associated with foriegn investments and trade.
Having the opportunity to work with an organization based in the U.S. would not only provide them with the necessary skills and tools for the future but also give them an insight into the development of local businesses.
Shanice Murray (Barbados); Daniel Stanisclaus (Grenada); Elesha George (Antigua and Barbuda); Sharine Joseph, Chrishna St. Brice (Saint Lucia); Gemma Moreau (Dominica); and Cleon Bradshaw (Saint Kitts and Nevis); have also been accepted to the program.
The 2023 YLAI Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, launched in December with a virtual Fellowship Leadership Curriculum and orientation. In May, fellows will split into cohorts and travel to 19 cities across the United States for four-week professional placements with U.S. businesses. They will collaborate with their peers to address shared business challenges, as well as engage in virtual and in-person events and cross-cultural activities. The program concludes with a Closing Forum in Washington, D.C. in June. Fellows return to their ventures with new skills, resources, ongoing support from U.S. counterparts, and a broader network, strengthening business ties between the U.S. and Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
This year’s YLAI fellowship program launched in December 2022 and will continue through June 2023, bringing together 280 young leaders from 37 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Launched in 2015, YLAI empowers emerging entrepreneurs from the Western Hemisphere to enable the full economic potential of the region’s citizens.
