BATON ROUGE — Applications are now open for the 2026 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced Wednesday.

The award recognizes young Louisianans who demonstrate extraordinary leadership and a strong commitment to civic involvement within their local communities.

Established in 2021 by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the award pays tribute to the legacy and accomplishments of the late Civil Rights icon and Congressman John Lewis. NASS members across the country honor civic-minded youth whose leadership and passion drive positive change each year.

To be eligible for the award, candidates must be 25 years or younger, be recognized for leadership and for being civic-minded and have shown a meaningful commitment to bringing about positive change in the community. 

Nominations—whether self-nominations or submitted on behalf of someone else—must be submitted online through the Secretary of State's official website at sos.la.gov.

The deadline to submit applications is 4:30 p.m. on November 20.

A statewide winner will be chosen by the end of November and will move on to compete against fellow award recipients at the national level.