Secretary of State John Merrill (R-AL) on Friday awarded conservative activist C.J. Pearson with the National Association of Secretaries of States’ (NASS) John Lewis Youth Leadership Award.
The recognition was established in 2021 by NASS to honor young people who partake in civic activities and demonstrate leadership within their communities.
“I wholeheartedly believe that C.J. Pearson both meets and exceeds the criteria for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award,” said Merrill. “He embodies the very essence of a public servant and leader, who values the rights and livelihoods of others.”
Pearson, age 19, is a native of Augusta, Georgia. Throughout his teenage years, Pearson became a national sensation due to his outspokenness on hot-topic issues within the political arena. At the age of 18, he became the youngest person in history to be elected to serve as an elector for Georgia’s Electoral College.
Placing his leadership skills on full display, Pearson raised more than $160,000 to support black-owned business that were victimized during the riots which occurred in summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd.
Pearson founded the Free Thinker Project, a conservative nonprofit aimed at combatting what many refer to as identity politics. He is currently a student senator for the University of Alabama’s Student Government Association. Pearson is a frequent guest on Fox News Channel, CNN, the Washington Post and other national news outlets.
The young leader has authored articles published by TIME, Huffington Post, MTV News and numerous other publications. Pearson has more than 300,000 followers on Twitter and hosts his own podcast, UNCENSORED.
Pearson, a seasoned grassroots activist, has served as the national chairman of both “Teens for Ted” and “Teens for Trump” in former presidential election cycles. He presently serves as campaign manager for Vernon Jones, a Republican Georgia gubernatorial candidate.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.