Our newest group of Rise Up California Leaders includes 24 visionary advocates representing a powerful range of identities, perspectives, and approaches to changemaking. Their work spans critical areas of gender equity – from supporting maternal health and LGBTQ+ rights to advancing economic justice and challenging systemic barriers in the criminal legal system.
These Rise Up Leaders are united by their deep commitment to transforming systems of power to better serve historically marginalized communities throughout California. We asked three new leaders, Jacqueline, Daniel, and Aminah, to reflect on their journey with Rise Up thus far and how their experience at our Leadership and Advocacy Accelerator training program this past September has impacted their work.
Jacqueline Chan, Vice President, Impact Strategies, United Way Bay Area
“Rise Up provided structured guidance grounded in best practices while fostering a community-forward movement that made me feel inspired to do more in my community. The group of people in the room with me were so inspiring and doing such amazing work to bridge gender gaps. I felt like I’m not alone in my vision of an equitable future for our communities.”
Daniel Vigil Rodriguez, Senior Manager, Community Engagement and Partnerships, Integrative Communities
“Overall, this experience was transformative. At each step of the way, I felt supported by the entire team at Rise Up. There were times I was out of my comfort zone, but the excellent education modules made advocacy approachable.”
Aminah Elster, Executive Director, Unapologetically HERS
“My favorite part of the training was the chance to connect with a diverse cohort of leaders across the U.S. Sharing insights, learning about their unique challenges, and witnessing their dedication reminded me of the powerful collective force we can be when we work together for change.”
Meet more of the new Rise Up Leaders in California here.
