JSA presented the Outstanding Young Alumni and the Visionary Awards at the 90th Anniversary Gala last Saturday night in Washington, D.C.
The Outstanding Young Alumni award recognizes a young JSA alum who has distinguished themselves through leadership and service to their community, country, or society-at-large since graduating high school. The Visionary Award Honors a JSA alum who has provided extraordinary leadership and service to their community, country, or society at large whether through their career, elected service, or volunteer activities.
We are thrilled to share that this year's recipients of the inaugural JSA Alumni Awards are:
Outstanding Young Alumni - Audrey Landeros
Audrey Landeros embodies the aspirations of South Central Los Angeles, balancing her pursuit of higher education with a profound commitment to public service. She is currently an undergraduate at Yale University and working towards a double major in Political Science and Economics.
Joining the Junior State of America in 2019, she swiftly ascended to the position of Director of Advocacy, pioneering initiatives such as the "Art for Advocacy Competition" in 2020. Her leadership extended to spearheading the "GRRRL Zines" Southern California Women's Rights Initiative, embraced by 17 high schools. As President from 2021 to 2023, Audrey championed the "Scholar Bill of Rights," unanimously endorsed by all Alliance charter schools in California.
"JSA has instilled in me a deep appreciation for civic engagement, advocacy, and the importance of promoting democratic values. The skills I developed, such as public speaking, networking, and leadership, are invaluable assets I continue to rely on today."
Visionary Alumni Award - Karen Valentia Clopton
An award-winning trailblazer, Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow Karen Clopton is a champion of human and civil rights, a distinguished attorney and organizational expert, former Chief Administrative Law Judge, and Immediate Past San Francisco Human Rights Commission Chair. Serving in executive leadership and board roles for highly regulated public, private, and nonprofit organizations, she oversees policy, ethics, environmental sustainability, operations, complex domestic and global compliance, labor and employment law, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and human resource risk management. She was General Counsel and Vice President of Access and Inclusion for Incendio International, a boutique crisis communications firm.
Karen was an active participant in her JSA chapter at Alain Leroy Locke High School where she served as chapter president and founder. She attended JSA Summer School at UC Davis and was elected lieutenant governor of JSA California. Karen volunteered her time as a JSA trustee, served as a speaker at JSA's Stanford Summer School, and was a convener of partnership with Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
"The friendships made in JSA last a lifetime. The public speaking, critical thinking, and civic engagement skills learned and honed in JSA are invaluable."