🕊️ Lansing Mourns a Legend and Hometown Hero Larry L. Leatherwood
- The Chronicle News
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Courtesy Photo-Larry L. Leatherwood, Public servant. Community builder. Champion for youth. Lansing is better because he was here.
With heavy hearts, The Chronicle News honors the life and legacy of Larry Leatherwood, a Lansing legend whose impact will be felt for generations.
Mr. Leatherwood was a longtime Lansing resident and a 30-year retiree of the State of Michigan, having served in numerous senior-level public service roles. His career reflected a deep commitment to equity, ethical leadership, and effective governance.
Mr. Leatherwood retired from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), where he served as a liaison officer, and previously held the role of Director of Minority Business for the Michigan Department of Commerce, advocating for opportunity and inclusion at the state level.
A lifelong learner, Mr. Leatherwood was a proud graduate of Kellogg Community College and Western Michigan University, earning his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a focus on public policy analysis. In 1985, he was selected as a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University, participating in advanced public policy and governmental operations training.
Beyond his government service, Mr. Leatherwood continued to shape leadership across Michigan. He served as President of Larry Leatherwood & Associates, providing training and consultation to locally elected school board members, and as an Adjunct Consultant with the Michigan Association of School Boards for more than 16 years, delivering ethics and governance training to public officials statewide.
Most notably, Mr. Leatherwood was the founder of Uplift Our Youth Foundation, established in 2002. Through this work, the foundation awarded more than $140,000 to Lansing-area organizations serving at-risk youth, with a focus on education and the arts. He didn’t just speak about uplifting young people, he invested in them.
Throughout his career, Mr. Leatherwood received numerous local, state, and federal recognitions for his service and leadership. Yet his greatest legacy lives in the people he mentored, the institutions he strengthened, and the young lives he helped guide toward possibility.
Mr. Leatherwood passed away on Friday. His loss is deeply felt across Lansing and beyond.
Lansing is better because he was here.
His legacy lives on in every life he helped lift.
— The Chronicle News
🕯️ We invite the community to share memories and reflections in honor of Mr. Leatherwood.