Chastity Bowick named Obama Foundation Leader for 2026-2027

Chastity Bowick, executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, has been selected for the Obama Foundation’s 2026-2027 Leaders USA Program. She is the first openly transgender woman chosen for the program, a milestone she says can open doors for Black trans leadership and expand MPJI’s reach.

Why it matters: - Chastity Bowick’s selection puts a Black transgender leader into a high-profile leadership network at a time when trans communities face growing needs and continued political pressure. - The recognition could expand the reach of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute and elevate Black trans leadership in spaces where it has often been overlooked. - Bowick said the visibility matters because she wants younger trans women to see what is possible and go further.

What happened: - The Obama Foundation named Chastity Bowick a 2026-2027 Obama Foundation Leader. - Bowick is the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. - She is the first openly transgender woman selected for the program. - The announcement was made Sept. 23, 2026. - Bowick said the selection represents an opportunity for personal growth and community advancement.

The details: - Bowick was born and raised in Rochester, New York, and moved to Boston at age 18. - Her career has included work in transgender health, emergency relief, housing and advocacy. - She spent seven years leading the Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts. - Bowick helped open the first transitional home for transgender communities in New England. - She now leads MPJI, which protects and defends the human rights of Black transgender people through organizing, advocacy, community support and leadership development. - Bowick said she hopes the program will help her learn from leaders across different communities and build relationships that strengthen MPJI. - She said she wants those relationships to expand MPJI’s reach and create more opportunities for the community. - MPJI says it was founded in response to violence faced by Black trans women and their exclusion from broader social justice movements. - The organization says its work includes direct support, collective power-building and efforts to end systemic, community and physical violence against Black trans people. - The Obama Foundation Leaders USA Program is now in its fourth year. - The program uses the Foundation’s Hope to Action curriculum. - The 2026 cohort includes 50 leaders from 29 states and territories. - The cohort works across democracy and civic engagement, public safety, artificial intelligence, public health, rural and economic opportunity, and arts and culture. - The broader Obama Foundation Leaders program also connects emerging leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States. - MPJI’s website is more information. - The Obama Foundation’s program information is available through the Foundation.

Between the lines: - Bowick’s selection is both a personal milestone and a signal that major leadership institutions are broadening who they elevate. - Her comments frame the honor less as a finish line and more as a platform for visibility, networking and institutional influence. - The inclusion of Black trans leadership in a national program could help translate community-based advocacy into broader policy and civic conversations.

What’s next: - Bowick will join the 2026-2027 Obama Foundation Leaders USA cohort. - She plans to use the program to deepen relationships, share resources and bring new ideas back to MPJI. - Bowick said she wants the recognition to help open more doors for Black transgender people and their leadership in future spaces.

The bottom line: - Bowick’s selection marks a rare national recognition for a Black trans leader and could widen the reach of her work at MPJI.