In Illinois, two standout young leaders are being honored with the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias recognized Amari’ah Carter of Belleville and Jocelyn Solis of Rockford, both age 21, for their commitment to service and community empowerment. Carter, a senior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, helped launch a summer literacy and civic engagement program benefiting hundreds of students in East St. Louis and Alton. Solis, of Rockford University, leads a youth philanthropy initiative distributing grants to organizations that support families across four counties. Soha Ali of DePaul University received runner-up for her advocacy in teen mental health awareness.
“It is an honor to celebrate the legacy of Congressman John Lewis by recognizing two remarkable young Illinoisans who are already making a meaningful difference,” Giannoulias said. “Amari’ah and Jocelyn embody Lewis’ belief in service, courage and lifting up others through action.”
Amari’ah Carter, a senior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has helped shape the SIUE Freedom School, a six-week summer program focused on literacy and civic engagement in the East St. Louis area. Carter, a core team founder, led an all-girls classroom during the program’s inaugural year, supporting over 200 local students. The school, backed by the Children’s Defense Fund, reports that 84% of participants improved their reading abilities and 94% of parents noted higher civic involvement. Carter’s impact grows in 2025 as a Sankofa Servant Leader, expanding the initiative with a new site in Alton.
Jocelyn Solis, a senior at Rockford University, is making a significant impact as chair of the “In Youth We Trust” program with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Under her leadership, more than 30 teen leaders have evaluated grant proposals and helped distribute over $80,000 to organizations supporting children and families in four area counties. These efforts have directly benefited more than 32,000 young people and their families. Beyond philanthropy, Solis also supports first-generation college students, mentoring peers and sharing her story at Rockford University’s recent First-Generation College Student Celebration Dinner.
Soha Ali, 18, has been named First Runner-Up for the 2025 award by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Ali, currently a freshman at DePaul University, is recognized for her dedicated advocacy for teen mental health awareness. Partnering with NAMI DuPage, she has contributed to developing podcasts and materials focused on teen suicide prevention and mental health, with special attention to marginalized communities. Through public speaking engagements across DuPage County, Ali has reached hundreds of students, striving to break the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and promote meaningful conversations among youth.