Now accepting applications for 2026/2027
Stick your neck out.
In honor of civil-rights attorney Bob Gnaizda, BGYL helps young advocates ages 16–21 find their voice, sharpen their ideas, and bring the issues they care about all the way to Washington, D.C.
2021
Founded in Bob’s honor
5
Months of online advocacy and policy training
1 week
Advocating in Washington, D.C.
100%
Tuition-free for students
Founded in 2021 to honor civil-rights attorney Bob Gnaizda, BGYL helps students practice what Bob modeled his whole life: speak clearly, stand up for others, and keep showing up when it matters.
How the program works
From the first session to Capitol Hill.
1
Learn from people doing the work
From fall through early spring, students meet twice a month with leaders in law, policy, media, and public service.
2
Turn an issue into a proposal
Students practice public speaking, research an issue they care about, and shape their ideas into a capstone proposal, with mentors beside them the whole way.
3
Take it to Washington.
The season ends with a week in Washington, where students present their proposals to members of Congress and agency leaders face to face.
Watch
See the program in action
Go inside a season with our students, from their first virtual session to the steps of the Capitol.
The opportunity
A small cohort. A fully covered trip.
Each year, six to seven students are selected for a tuition-free season that culminates in Washington, D.C. Flights, hotel, and meals are covered, so cost never decides who gets to go.
Flights to D.C. covered
Hotel & accommodations
All meals included
“I learned how to pitch myself, which helped me land an internship. I am now considering a career in law because of BGYL. It opened a whole new world.”
Heldana Desta · BGYL alum, now at UCLA
Help a student find their voice.
Your gift helps cover the mentorship, preparation, and Washington, D.C. trip that make BGYL possible. Students bring the courage and commitment; donors help remove the cost.
With gratitude to our sponsors
