L.E.A.D., Inc. | L.E.A.D. Center For Youth
- 680 Murphy Avenue Suite #4128 Atlanta GA, 30310
- info@leadcenterforyouth.org
Thank you for your interest in L.E.A.D. Center For Youth. We hope that you will find the information below to be useful as you become
acquainted with our organization. For any additional content, questions, or media inquiries, please contact Kelli Stewart at kelli.stewart@leadcenterforyouth.org or 404-662-2538.
L.E.A.D. Center For Youth is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization operating in Atlanta, Georgia. Through our sport based youth development (SBYD) programming, we are inspiring and equipping Black males with the empowerment they need to live sustainable lives of significance. We use baseball to teach Black boys how to overcome three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty, and racism.
We Believe:
• That every young person is entitled to an opportunity to be successful
• That baseball can provide valuable life lessons and access to educational and civic engagement opportunities
• That financial obstacles should not be allowed to be a barrier to a young man’s pursuit of his love for baseball and his need for appropriate training
• That young people learn to lead by leading and understand their value by being valued
• Greatness in baseball should be defined by a player’s service to his community as much as for his batting average
C.J. Stewart is an Atlanta native, a former Chicago Cubs outfielder, and an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. He has earned the recognition of being one of the top baseball player development professionals in the country. As the founder and CEO of Diamond Directors, Stewart has achieved unmatched success in the player development industry. He has over 22 years of experience and his firm has developed some of the game’s top amateur, collegiate, and professional players.
Stewart grew up in one of Atlanta’s most dangerous apartment complexes, Hollywood Brooks on Hollywood Road. His story is a perfect example of the phrase, ‘where you start doesn’t determine where you finish’. Although statistically the odds were stacked against him, Stewart used the sport of baseball to overcome statistics and become a compassionate, engaged member of society.
Kelli Stewart was born in Atlanta and raised in Crawford, Georgia, a rural community in Oglethorpe County just outside of Athens. Under the nurturing and protective guidance of her grandmother, Amy Lou Faust, she learned about work ethic and service.
Kelli graduated from Cedar Shoals High School in Athens and went on to study at Georgia State University. She completed her undergraduate studies at Kennesaw State University in 2011 where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the Coles College of Business with honors. In addition to her degree, Kelli holds a wealth of knowledge regarding sport based youth development as a resource for social justice and the impact sports has on the social emotional development of youth.
L.E.A.D. Center For Youth facilitates a range of SBYD (Sports Based Youth Development) programs in the pursuit of the mission. Our year round programming consists of activities across our four pillars of focus: academics, athletics, civic engagement, and commerce. Our programming is delivered in a culturally relevant and responsive framework that is centered around our student-athletes’ racial, linguistic, and cultural identities. L.E.A.D.’s core values – excellence, humility, integrity, loyalty, stewardship, and teamwork – provide an active framework for decision making and help to strengthen our boys’ moral compasses.
Good Morning America
September 3, 2020
For more news features visit LEADCenterForYouth.org/blog/in-the-news/
2021 Hello Insight Impact BIPOC SBYD Awardee
City of Atlanta Phoenix Award Honoree
Atlanta City Council Proclamation Honoree
adidas Honoring Black Excellence
(mural left)
Atlanta United Spirit of 17
(mural right)
2021 Atlanta Magazine Top 500 Most Influential Black Atlantans
(C.J. and Kelli Stewart)
2022 Atlanta Magazine Top 500 Leaders in Religion, Nonprofit, & Advocacy (C.J. and Kelli Stewart)
Fulton County Proclamation Honoree
Refer to the below style guides for colors and typography for L.E.A.D. Center For Youth and Ambassador related media. L.E.A.D. branding should be the primary style with the Ambassador style being secondary and only used for specific Ambassador programming.
Important writing note – L.E.A.D. is an acronym and is written with a period (.) after each letter. Use the full name (L.E.A.D. Center For Youth) in any first mentions. Ambassadors is always capitalized and should be used to refer to the L.E.A.D. student athletes. L.E.A.D. does not use phrases like “those/these boys” instead they are “our/the Ambassadors.” All phrasing is uplifting, affirmative, and positive.
Click here to access to L.E.A.D. and Ambassador logos. Please direct any questions about branding or phrasing to kelli.stewart@leadcenterforyouth.org.
Click here for a folder of L.E.A.D. images.
For additional or specific content please email admin@leadcenterforyouth.org
To develop Major League Citizens, you need positive, influential relationships. Meet The Ambassadors gives the Ambassadors the opportunity to connect with some of Atlanta’s
heavy hitters in various industries including business, politics, philanthropy and education.
L.E.A.D. Ambassadors had a chance to participate in an adidas sportswear focus group. With this collaboration, the Ambassadors had the opportunity to share opinions about current adidas products and influence future product creation.
The Human Ambassador Project uses the power of sport (baseball) to bring student-athletes together with influencers in society to strike out racism.
L.E.A.D. Center For Youth occupies 5,500 square feet of space at MET Atlanta on Murphy Avenue. The facility includes a learning lab, nutrition area, and training space for more than 200 youth athletes. Click here for a virtual tour.
How can a child be enrolled in L.E.A.D. programs?
L.E.A.D.’s motto is ‘we scout the counted out’. To us this means Black boys in 6th-12th grades who receive free/reduced lunch and who are under-performing in the areas of grades, attendance and behavior. Our staff communicates with school personnel – counselors, instructional/non-instructional staff, athletics directors, etc. – to identify boys who fit our criteria. Parents can get more information on enrollment by calling or texting 404-662-2538.
Does L.E.A.D. only serve Atlanta?
At this time, L.E.A.D. only provides programs for boys in Atlanta Public Schools.
Where are the baseball games?
L.E.A.D. Ambassadors play in various parks and stadiums throughout Atlanta. Subscribe to the L.E.A.D. monthly newsletter and/or follow L.E.A.D. on social media for game announcements.
Facebook.com/Lead2Legacy
Instagram.com/lead2legacy_atl
Does L.E.A.D. provide programming for girls?
Yes, we do. We will launch our Lady Ambassadors Girls Tennis Program at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. We will start with 20 girls in middle and high schools in the Douglass and Washington Clusters.
How can someone get involved or support L.E.A.D.?
We always welcome volunteers and donors. Contact us to learn more about what we need and what you can do to support: info@LEADCenterForYouth.org or 404-662-2538
Please contact kelli.stewart@leadcenterforyouth with any questions or requests.
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