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Selma City Council President Billy Young was selected to serve as a 2024 Fellow for the Leadership Development Program, sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). The program is officially called the Delta Leadership Institute.

 “I am so grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with others and to acquire critical information for my community,” Young said.  “I am so grateful to represent the interests of Selma, the Black Belt, and the State of Alabama as a 2024 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy Fellow.”

Selma City Councilman Clay Carmichael said the opportunity for Young to serve on the board is well-deserved.

Young said he hopes the position will help improve conditions in Selma and Dallas County.

“It is my hope that this opportunity will allow me to bring additional services and resources back to Selma,” Young said. “I believe that collaborations and partnerships are essential to the success of our City and I will do my best to work toward lasting relationships that will benefit all of our citizens. It’s an honor to serve and an honor to have been selected.”

The DRA is a year-long leadership development program that brings together public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders from its eight-state region. The purpose is to improve the economic competitiveness and social viability of the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt.

Participants of the program usually participate in six training sessions over the year to educate them on the regional and local economic and community development best practices employed across the Delta with a focus to catalyze innovative solutions implementable in their own community and region. 

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell participated in the 2020 program.