Twelve years ago, we started our Leadership Program with a simple goal: 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. Since then, we’ve trained 300 participants, of whom 168 have gone on to take leadership roles, and 74 environmental victories have been achieved.
Now we’re building on that success. This month, we launched a refreshed version of the program, called Líderes Rising, in partnership with Nuestra Casa, a nonprofit that provides essential services, leadership development, and community advocacy in disinvested Mid-Peninsula neighborhoods. The new program name reflects the program’s purpose and its bilingualism—“líderes” means “leaders” in Spanish. We’re combining Green Foothills’ advocacy training expertise with Nuestra Casa’s deep knowledge of and connections to the predominantly Latino communities it serves.
The New Cohort
Líderes Rising held its first official meeting of the program year on August 15 with a cohort of 15 participants from Redwood City, Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto. The day provided an opportunity for the group to get to know each other and dig into the ways that they may have already advocated for something in their lives. We learned what the different levels of government are and what they do, identified who our local city council members are, and discussed why this knowledge is important for effective leaders and advocates.
The day ended outside with the group taking a walk along the Bay at Cooley Landing. During this tour, Grassroots Ecology taught us about the deep and intricate history that the site carries both environmentally and economically. Participants were able to get a glimpse into the hard work that local organizations do to promote native plant growth and learn about how they can help.
The Journey Begins
This first session is the beginning of an exciting journey that will introduce our cohort to the world of advocacy in San Mateo County. Spanning four months and six sessions, our participants will gain insights from elected officials and community advocates, and acquire the fundamental tools needed to bring about change in their communities. At the conclusion of these sessions, participants will enter a year-long mentorship with us, applying the skills and knowledge they gained to issues they care about while being supported in making a meaningful impact.
Green Foothills’ Líderes Rising program work is made possible thanks to Sand Hill Foundation and other generous donors.
