The first group of 100 American “Obama Leaders” will include LGBTQ+ changemakers

The Obama Foundation has announced their first cohort of American changemakers selected to participate in the group’s Leaders program. While the foundation has worked globally, including Africa, the Asian-Pacific region, and Europe, this will be the first group for the Leaders USA program.

The participants who made it through a highly selective process come from 37 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam, and five tribal nations. It also includes LGBTQ+ changemakers with a passion for helping the community.

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Macy Ferguson-Smith, a licensed therapist who works with transgender patients, and Luke Rackers, the director of development and communications at the Central Vermont Council on Aging, were among the leaders chosen. These remarkable individuals, selected by President Obama, advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ older adults and their care partners and ensure communities have access to gender-affirming care.

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“I’m inspired by this talented group of young leaders from across the United States who are working on the most pressing issues facing our world,” Obama said. “From an oncology resident championing health equity for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, to passionate union organizers advocating for the labor rights of educators and first responders nationwide, to the first Black woman executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama—their ideas and leadership will help strengthen democracy now and in the future. These leaders give me hope, and they deserve our support.”

LGBTQ Nation spoke with Ferguson-Smith and Rackers about the opportunity, their work, and what they hope to get out of the program.

Being chosen for the program was “was an almost overwhelmingly emotional experience” for Ferguson-Smith.

“As a Black, queer kid growing up in a rural area, President Obama’s election was other-worldly. My dad had a cardboard cutout of him he only recently got rid of in the last few years in the foyer, right when you walked into the house. We regularly discussed the First Family and prayed for them as if they were our own family members,” she said. “All of that came flooding back in the moments after finding out I was chosen.”

A  behavioral health therapist at Quincy Medical Group, she also serves as the senior advisor for DEI and health equity and focuses her work on historically excluded populations. Bringing people together is her passion.

“Throughout various movements in U.S. history, we’ve witnessed what happens when a group of many becomes a body of one for positive change. My goal is to gain knowledge and skills to bring the Quincy healthcare community back together and begin reimagining what our area could look like in the next five to ten years if we all focused on the same health equity goals.”

Rackers, who leads projects for programs that help older adults live independently and stay connected to the communities they know and love also plans to focus on developing his leadership skills to bring people together.

“We can all be more effective with our changemaking efforts if we look beyond our typical silos and boxes. Learning from this fabulous cohort of people working to solve tough challenges in diverse communities across the country will have a lasting impact on my work in aging services,” he said.

“For the past several years, I have been particularly focused on developing new ways to enhance social connection through arts and technology,” he added. He recently helped lead his organization through training sessions focused on older LGBTQ+ people and highlighted how important it was for the organization “as we acknowledged that many LGBTQIA+ older adults are hesitant to seek services when needed or will avoid reaching out altogether to avoid discrimination.”

“As a bisexual, queer, polyamorous person working as a leader in the aging services field, I think it’s incredibly important to raise awareness of the issues and challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ older adults, while also celebrating our amazing human capacity to live authentically and joyously at any age and stage of life.”

Ferguson-Smith also knows her clients’ challenges, particularly as the far-right demonizes transgender people and DEI programs, and plans to use the opportunity to develop skills to assist them better. After all, the smears and insinuations of malintent aren’t just thrown at her clients; they’re hurled at her too.

“Some days are awful. There’s no way around that. I’m human and must remember to take time for rest to engage in equity work,” she said, pointing out that her work has led both the medical group and her personally to eliminate barriers to care intentionally.

“I live in an area surrounded by cornfields and what most folks would call conservative, and the growth we’ve seen in a few short years has been amazing,” she says proudly. “It doesn’t mean I don’t hear what’s going on in my environment, and I can’t allow what other folks are saying to become a distraction.”

“It has absolutely been disheartening for some, and many of my clients have been resilient and empowered in finding community in our area. There are difficult sessions in which we must process what’s happening in the world around us, and I have the privilege of being a person who helps folks hold space for feelings that can be nuanced and complicated.”

Rackers is also focused on his client’s needs, particularly “additional challenges later in life, from managing chronic conditions, caring for loved ones, and grieving the loss of friends and family over time, to navigating complex healthcare systems and changes in abilities. Dealing with bigotry and shame because of one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and relationship status is, unfortunately, all too often an additional challenge for LGBTQIA+ people as we age. Older adults can experience the joys of living authentically, along with building new relationships, exploring passions and interests, and so much more – this should be celebrated both in our local communities and in long-term care settings.”

The Leaders USA program offers participants a unique and comprehensive experience, including a values-driven leadership curriculum, action labs focused on strengthening democratic institutions and culture, community groups for fostering constructive dialogue in a polarized environment, and one-on-one support. Throughout the program, participants will have the opportunity to engage with President Obama, leadership coaches, subject matter experts, and each other to deepen their leadership practice.