Who is Carlos Dillard, Jr?

I am a scholarly leader who loves my DSU!

I am a first-year student on the Dean's List for high academic achievement and a proud Hornet of Delaware State University (DSU). I am also a scholar member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. As a native of Chicago, living on the East Coast has been a different and culturally enlightening learning experience. While we eat different foods, listen to different music, and have different accents, young people from the Midwest and East Coast want the same thing--the opportunity to flourish and live their best lives--without barriers. I am majoring in political science to learn and understand the laws, systems, and policies that impact society, especially people from marginalized groups. 

I am an inclusive leader committed to making a positive difference in the world.

I was the 2023-2024 Regional Teen President (RTP) for the Mid-Western Region of Jack and Jill of America. As the RTP, I led, supported, and advocated for more than 2,000 teen constituents across eight states. In this role, I was the presiding officer of the Regional Teen Officers, a six-person elected teen board. As RTP, I designed and presided over the Teen Leadership Conference, a 4-day conference with 1,400+ teens. I also designed and facilitated leadership workshops for two Area Workday Conferences, IL/WI and MI/OH, and created programs to increase teens' leadership skills and sense of inclusion and connectivity.

I am an award-winning leader making a positive difference in the world.

I was the 2024 State of Illinois Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Winner - Youth Category for serving my community. The Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards recognizes individual volunteers through a statewide award program, highlighting the importance of volunteerism and community service in Illinois. I was the only youth in the entire county to receive this prestigious award.

I am a leader who cares about issues impacting the youth and Black people.

I served on the National Teen Board for Jack and Jill of America, where I focused on uniting seven regions and empowering the voices of more than 10,000 Jack and Jill teens across the nation. In this capacity, I helped lead the teen efforts at the Jack and Jill biennial  On The Hill Summit held Sept. 22-25, 2023, in Washington, D.C. where teens from 30+ states met with their representatives on Capitol Hill to advocate for five legislative issues: the prioritization of voter education and awareness, CROWN Act support, gun control and stricter gun laws, policing reform, and mental health awareness and education. 

I am a leader who wants to impact others positively.

From 2022-2023, I served as the Regional Teen Foundation Chair (RTFC) for the Mid-Western Region of Jack and Jill of America, where I led the planning of our Teen Leadership Conference Community Impact Project. We partnered with Feed My Starving Children and packed and shipped over 101,000 meals to children facing food insecurities. Here's a snippet of my interview with Channel 10 WBNS News.

As RTFC, I encouraged teens to get involved in fundraising and community service work in their communities. I individually sold more than $30,000 worth of Double Good Popcorn during our fundraiser, providing over $12,000 worth of scholarships to deserving teens. 

I am a leader who leads with empathy and kindness.

I earned more than 1,000 community service hours. I've enjoyed planning events like Teens Helping Teens, a two-part series that helped teens fight teen homelessness. I also planned a private workshop, facilitated by Christine Haley, Chief of the State of Illinois Homelessness Division, Flossmoor Village Mayor Michelle Nelson, Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, and Marvis Donalson, National Program Director of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. We collected over $10,000 worth of toiletries and gift cards that were donated to three organizations serving teens facing housing insecurity and sex trafficking in the South Chicagoland area: Aunt Martha’s, Reclaim13, and Respond Now.  

See the pictures and write-up from H-F Chronicle Newspaper.