Celebrating Diogenes Ayala: Named to the Inaugural NAACP Advancement List
Updated: 1 day ago
The Des Moines Branch is proud to celebrate one of our own.
Executive Committee member Diogenes “Dio” Ayala has been selected for the inaugural 2026 NAACP Advancement List in the Education category, placing a Des Moines leader among 55 Black professionals being recognized nationally for achievement, influence and community impact.
A new national recognition
The NAACP launched the Advancement List in 2026 to celebrate Black leaders, innovators, creators and change agents across industries. The inaugural class includes honorees in education, business, technology, media, public service, advocacy and other fields.
The recognition is meant to do more than celebrate professional success. It lifts up people whose leadership is helping shape institutions, communities and opportunities for those who will follow.
Why local recognition matters
Dio's selection is worth celebrating because representation works in both directions. National recognition can elevate the work of a local leader, and local leaders can remind the rest of the country that Black talent, expertise and innovation are not confined to a handful of major cities or institutions.
Greater Des Moines is home to Black educators, professionals, entrepreneurs, advocates and community leaders whose work deserves to be seen. When one of our members is recognized nationally, it also gives young people and emerging leaders a closer example of what impact can look like.
Education is especially important to the NAACP because knowledge creates possibility. Strong educators do more than transfer information. They help people understand institutions, develop confidence, think critically, find pathways and imagine futures that may not have seemed available before.
Congratulations, Dio, on being named to the inaugural NAACP Advancement List. We are proud to have you as a member of the Des Moines Branch and proud to see your leadership recognized nationally.
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