Leadership Lab
The Leadership Lab is a mentorship and leadership program rooted in the five C’s of positive youth development: Connection, Care, Caliber, Confidence, and Character. The lab runs from October through June, meeting three times a month in a hybrid format—a mix of virtual and in-person sessions.
LGBTQIA+ youth participate in service learning, advocacy, and leadership development while offering insights that help shape Rainbow Labs’ programs, recruitment efforts, and community outreach.
Participants grow their voice, build leadership skills, and earn a monthly scholarship for their commitment. With quarterly mentorship check-ins and a graduation milestone, the Leadership Lab helps prepare the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders dedicated to equity, collaboration, and systems change in Los Angeles and beyond.
ABOUT LEADERSHIP LAB
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ABOUT LEADERSHIP LAB 〰️
WHEN
October – June
Meet 3 Times Per Month
In-person & Online
WHERE
Los Angeles County
INTERESTS
Advocacy
Leadership
LGBTQ+ History
Policy
LEADERS
Trained mentors who identify with and support the Queer community
For the safety of our students, we don’t post program schedules online. When you sign up, we’ll email you all the details about upcoming sessions.
“It was so safe for me. Not only the mentors but the other people participating were so open and nice. I could tell anyone in Rainbow Labs anything and I would feel safe while doing so.”
– Leadership Lab Participant
“Everyone was very supportive and kind, encouraging others to express themselves freely without judgement.”
– Leadership Lab Mentor
“I think what comes to mind is leadership and being able to be the co-chair for the last 3 years and then kind of being there for the community and for the youth council, and not only just being at Rainbow Labs but like taking it back to my own community and being a leader in my GSA, and joining other LGBT+ efforts and being a leader in those programs. I think as far as my own growth I think I’ve grown as a leader exponentially.”
– Leadership Lab Participant
Frequently Asked Questions
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No you do not need to be a leader to join! We welcome everyone to join the program.
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From October through June, LGBTQIA+ youth serve as advisors to Rainbow Labs’ staff and board, contributing insights on programming, recruitment, and community needs. Through service learning, advocacy, and mentorship, leadership lab members develop their voice, build leadership skills, and earn a monthly scholarship for their commitment.
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The program has the look and feel of student government but much more expansive. In leadership lab, you do vote for a few leadership positions (ex: chair, co-chair, marketing, etc.) to support some of the parts of the leadership lab. You do not need to be elected or be in any specific position. Participants also vote on certain projects and programmatic elements.
The program also introduces students to policy, policy makers, and using their youth voice to uplift issues they face in their everyday challenges. We also incorporate a Youth Summit where more policy, advocacy, and leadership skills fold in throughout the year. Don’t worry - we have fun too with field trips to historic LGBTQ+ sites across Los Angeles, the beach for a fun beach day to connect with other participants, and an overnight trip up in the mountains for team building activities.
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One of the Rainbow Labs’ Program Coordinators leads the lab.
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The lab happens all throughout Los Angeles County. We have three sessions each month - one which happens to be in person (often a field trip) and the others are a mix of virtual and in person.
Ready to learn to lead?
Sign up and you’ll be the first to know when the next session of Leadership Lab is available.