NCCU Law School Hooding Ceremony Speaker Announced

Preston D. Mitchum '11 will serve as the keynote speaker for the North Carolina Central University School of Law Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 4 p.m. The ceremony will be held at King's Park International Church, 1305 Odyssey Drive in Durham, N.C. Tickets are required to attend.

Mitchum is an award-winning Black queer attorney,  advocate and nationally recognized voice at the intersection of law, policy and social justice. He currently serves as senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, where he advances federal policy solutions that strengthen democracy and expand equity. 

As the founder of PDM Consulting, a social impact and advocacy firm, Mitchum works to amplify the voices, power and visibility of Black communities, LGBTQ+ people and young people across the country. 

Mitchum has built a career rooted in advancing justice for historically marginalized communities through advocacy, coalition-building and cultural impact. Prior to his current role, Preston served as director of federal advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project. His professional experience also includes leadership and policy roles at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Advocates for Youth, the Center for Health and Gender Equity, the Center for American Progress and the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health. 

A dedicated educator, Mitchum has taught LGBTQ health law & policy at Georgetown University Law Center and sexuality, gender identity & the law at American University Washington College of Law. He also teaches LGBTQI issues in international affairs at George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs, bringing a global lens to questions of identity, rights and justice. 

Mitchum's leadership extends beyond his professional roles. He serves on the board of directors for Spark Reproductive Justice and previously advised the National Women's Health Network's Policy Advisory Council. From 2022 to 2024, he served as president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter in Washington, DC. He has also co-chaired the board of directors for Collective Action for Safe Spaces and led the social justice Committee for the National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. In 2021, he helped lead a 10-week protest against Nellie's Sports Bar in Washington,  D.C., following an incident of racial and gender-based violence. 

A sought-after commentator and media voice, Mitchum's work has been featured in outlets including The Washington Post, MSNBC, NBC News, The Atlantic, The Guardian, BET and The Wall Street Journal. He has received numerous honors, including being named one of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association's Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.'s inaugural 40 Under 40. He was also voted DC LGBTQ's "Most Committed Activist" by the Washington Blade in 2021 and 2025 and made history as the first openly LGBTQ+ Chair of the Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. 

Mitchum is a contributing author to The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions for a Broken System and has been featured in The Case for Cancel Culture. He holds an LL.M. in Law and Government from American University Washington College of Law, a Juris Doctor, with honors, from NCCU School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with honors, from Kent State University. 

He also appeared as a cast member on Bravo's Summer House: Martha's Vineyard, where he brought his full, authentic self to national audiences.