Education

Green Foothills supports community members’ active involvement in land-use decisions through training and mentoring.

Líderes Rising

Growing Community Leaders for Environmental Justice

Building on Green Foothills’ decade-long Leadership Program, Líderes Rising is a joint initiative with Nuestra Casa that mentors emerging advocates from underrepresented communities in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City. Focused on environmental justice, it equips frontline community members with tools to drive meaningful change.

The partnership combines Nuestra Casa’s 20+ years of community organizing in disinvested Mid-Peninsula neighborhoods with Green Foothills’ 60+ years of land-use and environmental advocacy expertise.

Designed to Build Lasting Change

Structural barriers too often exclude communities that have faced long-term underinvestment and environmental harm. Líderes Rising closes this gap by building power in Midpeninsula neighborhoods most affected by environmental injustice — investing deeply in a small cohort of participants through practical advocacy training, long-term mentorship, and wraparound support (stipends, childcare, meals, and Spanish-language access).

Who it’s for: Graduates of Nuestra Casa’s Environmental Justice Academy who are ready to deepen their leadership through organizing, civic participation, or public advocacy.
How it works: A four-month training paired with a year-long mentorship for a small cohort to ensure individualized attention, strong relationships, and lasting results.

Our goal is for participants to step into positions of influence on neighborhood committees, advisory boards, commissions, and city councils, where they can drive lasting change. Líderes Rising cultivates changemakers uniquely positioned to address environmental and social justice challenges and build healthier, more resilient communities from the inside out.

A Partnership Rooted in Community

Nuestra Casa brings 20+ years of working alongside residents in disinvested Mid-Peninsula communities, including East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City. Through programs like the Environmental Justice Academy, it supports residents in understanding environmental justice issues and advancing community-driven solutions.

Green Foothills contributes 60+ years of environmental advocacy, with deep expertise in land-use policy and civic engagement. Together, they created Líderes Rising to cultivate the next generation of community-led environmental justice leaders.

Green Foothills’ Líderes Rising program’s work is made possible thanks to Sand Hill Foundation and other generous donors.

Leadership Program History

Before the Líderes Rising Program, Green Foothills trained community members through its Leadership Program from 2013-2025. The program had one simple goal: to help people become effective advocates for their communities and the environment. What began as the Community Advocates Leadership Academy grew into a bilingual Spanish-English program on inclusive environmental action. Over its twelve years, we trained 300 diverse community members through an annual, 8-month program. Alumni assumed new leadership roles and pursued community initiatives in environmental justice and conservation in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties. In 2026, the program was replaced with our Líderes Rising Program.