Young leaders: 30 for 2006

They are talented, educated, young Black men and women, who are soaring to tremendous heights and making accomplishments in the areas of law, politics, religion, communications, academia, music, arts and entertainment. On these pages you will find pastors, business executives, media giants and other movers and shakers in the making. Already, each knows the importance of giving back to their communities, and their actions reflect the burgeoning leader within. And while it is impossible to name all of Black America's young leaders, we selected these rising stars as Ebony's 2006 Young Leaders of the Future.

With their impressive credentials, they represent the enormous talent and promise of generations to come.

Cynne Simpson, 27, Atlanta, news anchor, WGCL-TV, a CBS affiliate; former fellow, ABC News Nightline and Poynter Institute; recipient, two William Randolph Hearst Journalism Awards, Congressional Award for Community Service, Emmy nomination; spokesperson, United Negro College Fund and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People community events; member, National Association of Black Journalists; fluent in Spanish and has studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain.

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Richard Edwards, 25, Chicago, former Lewis-Sebring Fellow, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Diversity Fellowship Program; substitute player, double bass section, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; former section and principal bass, Peabody Symphony Orchestra; was a finalist for a position with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York.

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Dante Lee, 24, Columbus, Ohio, motivational speaker, author, entrepreneur and self-taught pianist; president and CEO, Diversity City Media; a multicultural marketing and public relations firm; founding partner, Beasley Creations, a sporting goods company; recently authored How To Think Big ... When You're Small.

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Laquita Mitchell, 29, opera singer, in the 2005-2006 season, she debuted with the Washington National Opera as Clara in Porgy and Bess, NewYork City Opera as Micaela in Carmen and Portland Opera as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni; has performed in concert with Branford Marsalis and the Garden State Philharmonic; grand prize winner, 2004 National Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; recipient, Sara Tucker Award and first prize-winner of Wiener Kammer Oper's 2003 Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition.

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Salamishah Tillet, 30, Philadelphia, scholar, Ph.D. candidate, Harvard University; co-founder and program director, A Long Walk Home, Inc., a non-profit organization that uses art to document, educate and end violence committed against women and children; recipient, Harvard University Derek Bok Center Distinction of Teaching Award and the Andrew Mellon Fellowship for Humanistic Studies; graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania.

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DeMarco D. Morgan, 27, Milwaukee, news anchor, WISN-TV 12, an ABC station; while at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, was founding member of Columbia University Association for Black Journalists; member, Christ the King Baptist Church, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the National Association of Black Journalists, Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Organization; enjoys reading and speaking to children in Milwaukee schools.

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KRISTOPHER J. ANDERSON, 27, J.D. candidate, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Law; former special assistant, Office of U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr.; graduate of the Congressional Black Caucus, Political Leadership Institute.

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SHANTE BACON, 28, New York, founder, 135th Street Agency, a marketing/public relations/advertising firm specializing in bridging the gap between urban youth/urban professionals and corporate America; former director of marketing/product manager, Island Def Jam Music Group.

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SAMARA BRADLEY, 27, Detroit, assistant to the mayor, City of Detroit Mayor's Office; involved with Young Adult Alliance for Kilpatrick and Young Professionals for Kilpatrick; former minority aide, Office of Minority Student Affairs, Michigan State University, helping students make a successful transition to college life.

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OSCAR BRAYNON II, 28, vice mayor for the city of Miami Gardens, Fla.; former legislative aide/public relations coordinator, Miami-Dade County District 1 Commissioner Betty T. Ferguson; former City of Miami Summer Youth Employment counselor, providing pre-employment training to disadvantaged youth.

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NATALIE COFIELD, 24, Los Angeles, National Urban Fellow serving as special assistant to the general manager, Community Development Department, City of Los Angeles; board member, Saving, Investing and Returning Value in Communities of Color; founder, 3E Economic and Educational Empowerment Workshops.

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PASTOR LINWOOD DILLARD JR., 28, Memphis, founder and pastor of Germantown Church of God in Christ; executive secretary, Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Inc. International Youth Department; assistant manager, Shelby County Government Roads & Bridges Department; former regional director, COGIC International Youth Department-Southern Region; state president, COGIC Tennessee Central Jurisdictional Youth Department.