10/30/2020
We couldn't let October pass us by without another ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT! Derrick Billups is the Director of Education for the Woodlawn Foundation. He received his BS from the University of Alabama, his Masters in Education from UAB, and his Masters in Divinity from Samford. Prior to joining Woodlawn Foundation, he was a teacher in Birmingham, Jefferson County, and Hoover City Schools. Derrick had a lot to say about his time with YLF. Read his full statement below! #ylfalumni
"My selection as a sophomore student from Woodlawn High School to participate in Youth Leadership Forum remains one of my highest and most honored of achievements! YLF has played an integral role in shaping my philosophical approach relative to my work in facilitating the successful implementation and sustainability of community development models in Birmingham. The levels of exposure and access to well-respected and informed leadership from Birmingham, representing a myriad of career fields, served to enlighten me concerning the various complexities and challenges facing the city and particularly underserved communities. The topics presented and conversations initiated by YLF staff, guests speakers and students broadened my knowledge and deepened my understanding concerning the importance of convening broad and diverse coalitions to help deliver critical solutions to longstanding community issues. The experiences gained from the interactions with my class mates continues to encourage and inform my current activism and engagement with the community at large. The scope of my leadership abilities as an adult was unequivocally enhanced by my participation in YLF. It is the realization of this fact, that I am most appreciative of my time as a student participant of Youth Leadership Forum." - Derrick Billups, YLF Class of 1991