Developing Leaders

Leaders make change – together.

Coleman parent and student leaders are the rare, courageous neighborhood residents willing to move others from apathy into action. They face extraordinary battles and crises in their personal lives, yet they find the hope and inspiration to lead membership meetings, attend leadership workshops, make hundreds of phone calls and mobilize other members to speak out at public hearings. On any given week, a Coleman leader will be speaking to a public official, facilitating a school site membership meeting, learning about the state budget, negotiating with a school staffperson, or taking time out of their day to have intense, one-on-one conversations with their peers about making change with Coleman families.

Together, Coleman leaders in YMAC, PMAC & SMAC develop a critical analysis of the world, gain the skills to make change, build unity across our many differences, and win concrete improvements for our community. It is hard work. It takes courage, and sacrifice. We evaluate our setbacks, and when we win, we celebrate!

Through our Grassroots Leadership Institute and issue campaigns, Coleman members:

• Receive intensive leadership training workshops in their schools, at our Center, and at our annual Leadership Retreat;
  
• Participate in hands-on leadership opportunities, like public speaking, and facilitating member meetings;
  
• Lead peer workshops at YMAC, PMAC & SMAC membership and leadership meetings;
  
• Receive one-on-one support to accomplish personal goals, with an emphasis on academic support for our high-school students and support to gain life-long self-advocacy skills.

Y-MAC YOUTH LEADER Goyette, Burton High School

“I was really shy before joining YMAC and wasn’t comfortable speaking in public, but after becoming a leader in YMAC I have really grown out of my shyness. I overcame my fear of public speaking and now I am a strong leader at my school.”

Goyette was born and raised in San Francisco and joined YMAC her sophomore year. She came to her first meeting because she liked what the YMAC organizer had to say, but she figured that meeting would be a one-time thing.  When Goyette heard about all the campaigns YMAC had won over the years though, she started to get excited about becoming a YMAC member.  Until then, she hadn’t realized that young people actually had any power, or that anyone cared what they thought.

Goyette loves to learn and her favorite thing about school is the opportunity it presents to learn something new every day. Her biggest frustration about school is that that there are so many kids who have just given up.  She says there are a lot of kids who don’t like what’s happening at Burton, but they don’t know how to change things and they don’t believe it’s possible.  Goyette sees her involvement in YMAC as her chance to show all these kids that young people can change their schools and communities if they all come together.

U.S. History is Goyette’s favorite subject and while she plans to continue studying history, she really wants to be a radiologist when she grows up.  While on a field trip to UCSF she met and talked to a radiologist and it seemed like a “cool” job to her, and something she would be good at.

Goyette’s biggest influences are her mom and her grandma.  Goyette’s mom raised her on her own and taught her by example that she didn’t need to rely on someone else to make her way in life. Her mom has always pushed her hard to do better in school and she appreciates that.  Goyette’s grandma is her inspiration. “She raised four kids as a single parent and she has been through so much and has so many stories to share and is so much fun to be around. And she is so caring and understanding. I can talk to her about things that I am too nervous to talk to anyone else about. She is like a second mom.”

Goyette’s favorite things about San Francisco are the views, especially the night skyline driving in to city on the Bay Bridge. The thing she likes the least is the weather.

If Goyette could change three things about San Francisco, she would create affordable housing for all single parents, provide resources for all struggling students and schools, and she would give San Francisco better weather.

The one thing she would tell people if she had 60 seconds on TV to speak to the whole world: “Don’t judge a book by its cover. You might perceive young people as bad and think they don’t care about anything, but that’s not true.  We might be a little selfish and think about ourselves sometimes but there are a lot of things we want to improve and change for the world.  You just don’t realize it because you don’t stop and ask us how we feel about things.”

 

P-MAC PARENT LEADER Laida, Cleveland Elementary School

“No one knows my children and what they need better than I do.”

When Laida joined PMAC in 2007, she was shy, soft-spoken, and unlikely to speak up in a meeting. Now she is one of PMAC’s most outspoken and effective leaders.

Last year, when Laida and other parents of kindergarteners at Cleveland Elementary School found out that for the first time in recent history, the school would not be carrying out the traditional parent-led Kindergarten or 5th grade graduation ceremonies, she immediately stepped up to lead a community intervention.  Kindergarten graduation is a very significant milestone in Latin American communities and the cancellation – which came with no explanation and only a couple weeks notice – was perceived as a disregard for Latin American cultural traditions. Laida, supported by Coleman staff, organized the Latino patents at Cleveland and facilitated two meetings with the Cleveland Principal and teachers. As a result of the persuasive case that Laida and the other parents’ made and the effective listening and diplomacy skills they demonstrated, relationships were made stronger, everyone left the meeting feeling heard and the administration agreed to reinstate and support the graduation ceremonies. The graduation was ultimately held at Coleman’s community center and, inspired by their advocacy success and by Laida’s leadership, more than 20 parents joined PMAC on the spot.

Laida’s children – a 2nd grader and a 5th grader now, both boys – are her main motivation and inspiration.  Sometimes, exhausted, she feels drained of all motivation to keep up the fight, but then she looks at her children and remembers her dreams for them, and the fire inside of her is sparked again. She is deeply grateful to Coleman for helping her develop the skills and confidence to be an advocate and organizer and for giving her the sense that she is not in this alone, and someone always has her back.

One of the biggest challenges Laida has faced as an organizer has been trying to motivate other parents. She sees a lot of people around her expecting some immediate prize for any time they put in. She says that she has been able to stay committed over the long haul has because she has never expected anything in return for her work.  The rewards have been huge, she insists, but she did not expect or require them.  “I do this work because I believe in it and I want to do my part to make a better world for my children.  I am constantly reminding other parents, even if there isn’t some immediate payback, the knowledge and information that we gain from the process is a treasure.  It helps us to support our children with their educational success and in their lives”.

Laida says people ask her all the time: “How do you do it? How do you keep up with it all?” She always responds that she just does what she is able and that no one knows her children, and what need to succeed, more than she does, and so it is her responsibility to play an active role in their education.  She tells other parents that they have the same special insights about their own children and so the same responsibilities to be involved.

Laida grew up in Guanajate, Mexico. Her father passed away when she was 11 and her mother had to raise six children on her own. Laida’s mother was determined to move to the United States where she hoped to build a better life for her children. Her mother prayed for guidance and support every day. One day a man that knew the family agreed to lend her mother the money for the journey to the U.S. One by one all the children made their way over. Laida, at 20 years old, was the last one to make the trip. Eventually she found work as a caretaker and housecleaner for a woman in San Francisco. Shortly after that, Laida met her husband and they began to build their family.

Laida’s favorite thing about San Francisco is that everything she needs is walking distance and that she feels safe and feels a sense of community in her neighborhood.  The hardest thing about San Francisco for Laida is how expensive it is and how low the wages are for such hard work.  More than anything, Laida’s kids love going to the movies and it makes Laida sad that she can rarely afford to give them this treat or buy them the things they want.  Another thing that frustrates her is how politicians make promises and give people hope but then nothing changes. It discourages people from getting involved in social change work and makes people feel powerless and like they have no voice.

If Laida had a magic wand and could change three things in San Francisco, she would:

1. Change people’s perspectives and mind-sets. People would be more hopeful and positive and tolerant and more willing to help others and get involved in service and organizing work. People would be able put themselves in other’s shoes and even rich people would know what it really feels like to not have enough.

2. Make more free fun activities for families and kids.

3. Improve the education and health care systems and make them affordable for everyone.

 

SMAC STUDENT LEADER Veronica, City College of San Francisco

“Coleman has made me a better and stronger leader in so many ways. The staff and my fellow organizers have opened up my eyes to the extent of the inequality and injustices that effect people of color. It empowers me and makes me a more confident leader to have so much knowledge about the  root causes and history of the things that effect me and all people of color in everyday life. Coleman’s history of work improving conditions and building power for youth, and low income families and communities of color inspires me and gives me hope and strength to keep fighting. Seeing and being a part of this work makes me feel like I’m a member of a community and a movement much bigger than my own struggles and this has inspired me to pursue a career in social justice and advocating for others.”

Veronica is the SMAC Basebuilding Club Leader and studies Political Science at City College of San Francisco.  She was born and raised and went to public schools in San Francisco and is the proud single mother of two daughters – Araseli a 5th grader and Priscilla a 2nd grader – who attend Rooftop Alternative School.

Veronica had her first daughter while still in High School and had to work part-time to help support her. Education has always been a priority for Veronica and she was determined to beat the odds and stay in school. In 2002, with her head held high, Veronica graduated with her High School Degree.

In addition to the many obstacles faced as a teenage mother, the experience that has most inspired her fighting spirit, and informed her passion for justice, has been caring and advocating for her sick mother.

In 2008, Veronica returned to CCSF after years of working full time to support her family. The same year she went back to school, Veronica’s mother fell seriously ill and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Her mom was receiving inadequate health care treatment and almost died as a result of medical neglect. Veronica was forced to step in and become her mom’s advocate and caretaker. For the last four years, Veronica has been fighting to save her mom’s life.

Recently, her mom was removed from the heart transplant list for “failure to comply”.  Before she received a form letter in the mail, no one had given Veronica or her mom any advance notice or mentioned compliance or explained what it meant. Veronica knew it wasn’t right or fair and she believed in her heart the disqualification involved racial bias. All the doctors and medical staff Veronica dealt with were white and she frequently felt disrespected, disregarded, and misunderstood.

Veronica launched a fight to get her mom back on the transplant list.  She filed multiple formal complaints and sought support from La Raza Centro Legal. To date, her mom has not been added back to the organ donor list. Veronica continues to fight for her mom’s life and for the right of all people to quality health care, and to be treated by health care professionals with respect, regardless of race, language, immigration or economic status.

When asked who or what has been the biggest influence on her political development and her desire to be an organizer, Veronica didn’t hesitate to say, “Ms. Homer really inspires me because of who she is and what she stands for. She has been, is and continues to be a huge influence in my life. She is someone who I admire because of her dedication and the fact that she will always go above and beyond for students. She genuinely cares about our success. Plus she’s funny, mellow, understanding, highly education and tough. You can’t mess with Ms. Homer.”

Sue Homer is a political science teacher at CCSF and one of the SMAC faculty advisors. Ms. Homer is well known for always going the extra mile for students – as a mentor, coach and confidante – to support them to be the best they can be. Veronica says that Ms. Homer’s classes opened her eyes and inspired her and motivated her in so many ways. Veronica heard her own stories and those of her family in the issues she was learning about in class. But Ms. Homer’s dynamic and accessible teaching style, and the information shared, allowed Veronica to connect the dots and develop a new, deeper understanding of the roots of inequality.  And it was Ms. Homer who approached Veronica about getting involved in SMAC.

Veronica also cites both of her parents as huge influences. “My parents are my heroes because they are honest, hardworking, genuine, smart, supportive, loving people. I’ve been blessed beyond belief to have them as my parents.”

Veronica says the things that she loves most about San Francisco are the diversity the fact that everything is so close to each other and so accessible. The things that make Veronica the most frustrated about San Francisco are the health care system and the inequality and racial segregation in all the systems.  If Veronica had a magic want and could change three things about San Francisco she would create affordable housing for everyone, free quality health care for everyone and she would provide her mom with the heart she needs to live.