Category: Community Advocates Leadership Academy

Author: David Simon “You don’t just gain knowledge; you gain wisdom,” says Ray Larios of his experience in the 2020 Community Advocates Leadership Academy (CALA) cohort. Before applying to CALA, Ray was getting settled in his role with the Citizens Advisory Committee for Peninsula Clean Energy, and he thought CALA would be a good fit...

A self-described “worker bee,” Cheryl has a vision for getting across the climate protection finish line through small but mighty local actions. The advocacy skills Cheryl learned through the Leadership Academy in 2017 – including speaking to elected officials, creating coalitions, mentoring others to advocate – have been instrumental in her success so far.

Experiencing the rich diversity of views in her Leadership Academy cohort and learning about the importance of relationships in advocacy taught Kat how vital coalitions are. Since graduating from the Leadership Academy in 2018, she has done plenty of civic work as a community member and as a paid professional.

Roxana is currently advocating to assure community voices are heard and their expertise is acknowledged. She seeks to be a good role model to her baby daughter by showing that women of color can be powerful and effective leaders in advocating for their communities, particularly when it comes to environmental justice.

Through the Leadership Academy, Alexii learned how to connect with local governments and persuade electeds in service of his tribe. He believes that tribal governments could be more influential than they currently are and wants to see them take their power back as legitimate and equal peers to local governments. He envisions a future where indigenous communities lead decision-making that affects the health of their homelands.

For Trina, the most gratifying part of her work has been facilitating connections that bring people together to find solutions to issues big and small. This is serving her well in her new Executive Director role, working collaboratively with other agencies and organizations like Green Foothills to protect the natural habitats and agricultural lands of Santa Clara County.