About GYLA at UCLA

Global Youth Leadership Academy Launch

The evening featured powerful stories and heartfelt tributes. Arthur Ashe’s sister, Loretta Harris, and his nephew and niece, David Harris, Jr., and Karah Pace, offered personal reflections on his character and vision. Longtime friend, Ingrid Bentzer, spoke about Ashe’s global influence on and off the court, while business partner Kevin Dowdell shared a moving poem celebrating his life. Opening the program, Baroness Valerie Amos recalled watching the 1975 final in person and described how Ashe’s victory transformed what young Black athletes believed was possible.

But the commemoration was not just a look back — it was a springboard for what comes next. During the gala, Dr. Robert Cooper, Professor of Education and Director of The Arthur Ashe Legacy project, announced the launch of the Global Youth Leadership Academy (GYLA) – an ambitious new initiative built on Ashe’s lifelong commitment to equity, education, and social change.

In September 2025, the GYLA welcomed its first cohort of students in London, bringing together emerging leaders from the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Through collaborative research, leadership development, and deep discussions on social transformation, participants explored the values and principles that guided Ashe’s life. A highlight of the program was their participation in the Renaissance Foundation’s annual “Dragon’s Den” challenge, where student teams pitched innovative solutions to pressing social issues. The program’s momentum continues this fall with the launch of a virtual curriculum, expanding opportunities for young people around the globe to develop the skills, confidence, and perspective needed to drive meaningful change.

Currently housed at the world-renowned University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Education, the program brings together educators, policymakers, community leaders, and other disciplinary scholars to collaborate and structure experiential learning opportunities for aspiring leaders and educators around the globe that coalesce around four broad areas:

  • Sports as a Platform for Educational Access & Equity

  • Social Activism and World Politics

  • World Arts, Culture, and Religion

  • Health Access and Policy

Meet our Advisory Board and Partners

  • Our goal is to equip young leaders with the tools and vision to shape a more fair, prosperous, and sustainable future for all.

    -- Dr. Robert Cooper, Director

  • Our mission is to empower the next generation of global leaders to challenge systemic inequities and create the conditions that allow all nations and people to thrive and achieve their desired outcomes.

  • While youth are engaged in athletics and other organized groups, they have the potential to learn more about themselves, their communities, and the world.