Secretary of State Shenna Bellows yesterday announced that Shawn Jiminez, 20, a junior at Bowdoin College from West Gardiner, has been awarded the 2025 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award.  The award is annually presented to one Maine youth who demonstrates leadership abilities, has a passion for social justice and is improving the quality of life in their community.

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award is named for the late Congressman John Lewis who was known for his courageous achievements during the civil rights movement and his long tenure of public service.  The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) established this award in February 2021, inviting Secretaries to recognize a gifted civic-minded young person in their state each “year.

“We are proud to award this distinguished honor to Shawn Jiminez who has distinguished himself in his work to promote social justice and equity,” said Secretary Bellows  “My team had the honor of collaborating closely with Shawn to advance voting rights for students.  Shawn embodies the spirit and legacy of Congressman Lewis in working towards equity and inclusion for all.  Shawn leads by example, showing us all that a young man from a small Maine town can make a big difference.”

Mr. Jiminez’s work centers on advancing equity across educational, civic and justice-oriented communities at the local, state and federal levels.  Among his accomplishments, he is the youngest representative appointed to the Maine Education Association’s Human, Civil Rights and Social Justice Committee and serves as Co-chair of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Maine Youth Advisory Board.  At Bowdoin College, he founded Students for Educational Equity, a student-led organiztin that addressed accessibility gaps.

He also serves on the Youth Advocacy Team of the League of Women Voters of Maine.  Nationaly, Jiminez serves on the leadership team of Class Action, where he co-organizes legislative campaigns to end legacy preference in college admissions procedures.  His commitment to education access extends to incarcerated individuals through work with College Guild and to Title 1 schools across the country as a Teach for America Fellow.

For information on a rally organized by Shawn Jiminez on gun safety, please visit post herein dated December 20, 2025.