The Sixth Episcopal District Celebrates the Inaugural Class of the Baxter DeVeaux Young Leadership Academy

The African Methodist Episcopal Church has always been a place where women rise with courage, vision, and faith to meet the needs of the moment. Today, that legacy continues in the 6^th Episcopal District with the launch of the Baxter DeVeaux Young Leadership Academy, a dynamic initiative designed to prepare young women to lead with excellence, confidence, and purpose.

The Vision of Supervisor Cordelia Mitchell

The Academy is the vision of Supervisor Cordelia D. Mitchell, who has devoted her ministry to developing young women leaders who are both spiritually grounded and professionally equipped. Serving alongside Bishop Michael L. Mitchell, Supervisor Mitchell sees leadership training as more than a program. It is a sacred responsibility to pay forward and a form of service. 

Honoring a Legacy

The Academy proudly carries the names of three pioneering missionary leaders whose lives shaped the Women’s Missionary Society both connectionally and in the Sixth Episcopal District. Dr. Rosa McCloud Baxter and retired Supervisor Dr. Dorothy Jackson Young are still actively serving and mentoring young women in the WMS. The late Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Patricia Ann Morris DeVeaux, left a legacy that continues to inspire generations.

Supervisor Mitchell is no stranger to this work. In the 12^th Episcopal District, she founded the Green-Graham Leadership Academy, named in honor of retired Episcopal Supervisor Flossie Green and former 12^th District WMS President Anna Graham. The academy trained women to step confidently into leadership roles at every level of the AME Church. Building upon that experience, she has now expanded the vision even further in Georgia.

A Mission with Purpose

The mission of the Academy is bold and clear:
To develop confident, purpose-driven leaders by equipping them with essential skills, mentorship, and meaningful opportunities to serve and lead, within the Women’s Missionary Society and beyond, in both professional and civic arenas.

The twenty-six young women of this inaugural class are paired with seasoned mentors, clergywomen, missionary leaders, and professionals, who walk alongside them, offering guidance and accountability. Beyond the classroom, real-world service projects ensure that the lessons of leadership are lived out in action.

Building the Future Today

The Baxter DeVeaux Young Leadership Academy is not just preparing leaders for tomorrow; it is shaping women who are already making a difference today. Through this initiative, the 6^th Episcopal District ensures that the Women’s Missionary Society remains vibrant, relevant, and strong for generations to come.

As Supervisor Mitchell so often says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” By pouring into the lives of these young women, she is ensuring that the mantle of leadership will be carried forward with boldness, grace, and unshakable faith.