Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by National AIDS Memorial Grove

Intro This scholarship program honors the memory and work of the late AIDS educator and social justice activist Pedro Zamora. It provides $5,000 awards to emerging leaders committed to addressing HIV/AIDS and/or advancing health equity and social justice. Purpose and scope While rooted in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the award recognizes that the epidemic intersects with many broader health and social justice challenges. Young people leading urgent change across public health, racial and economic justice, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, housing, environmental justice, and related areas are all encouraged to apply. The scholarship is intentionally inclusive of activism and professional work beyond HIV-specific efforts. History and number of awards Since the program began in 2009, the National AIDS Memorial has supported young change-makers through this scholarship. Each of the previous 25 recipients received a $5,000 award. This year, we plan to grant another twenty-five (25) scholarships of $5,000 each. Who may apply - Open to applicants who study or live in the United States. - Eligible candidates include current high school seniors and college students in their first year, as well as sophomores and juniors. - Applicants must be age 27 or younger. What we value We seek students whose academic interests, extracurricular activities, or career plans align with the scholarship’s goals and who demonstrate commitment to HIV/AIDS work and/or broader community justice. Ideal applicants show leadership, public service involvement, and activism inspired by personal passion, lived experience, and the conviction exemplified by Pedro Zamora. Examples of relevant work (not exhaustive) - HIV/AIDS research, prevention, treatment, access, and advocacy - Public health and health justice initiatives - Reproductive health work - Peer education, prevention, and community resource programs - Racial justice and immigrant rights advocacy - LGBTQ+ equality and rights efforts - Reducing gun violence - Environmental justice - Drug policy and sentencing reform - Employment, economic justice, housing, and homelessness work - Technology innovation that supports justice-focused work Application notes about AI and originality We recognize that tools like ChatGPT can be helpful, but your personal voice is essential — no automated program can tell your story the way you can. Our application system includes tools designed to detect plagiarism and AI-generated content in essay responses. You will not be disqualified solely for using AI, but detected usage and similarity metrics will be recorded and considered during selection. Applicants are encouraged to submit essays that reflect their authentic voice, values, and experiences. Selection process A panel of judges will review each submission to confirm that applicants have answered the prompts fully, uploaded all required documents, and meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the application requirements. Decisions will be made based on alignment with the scholarship’s mission, demonstrated commitment to justice-focused work, and the materials provided.