In order to help advance the global movement for gender equity and justice, we prioritize building and maintaining strong connections among the 800+ Rise Up Leaders around the world. Rise Up’s Leadership & Advocacy Accelerator training program is followed by opportunities for local leaders to come together in-person to nurture meaningful connections, share their advocacy progress, and discover new perspectives on shared challenges. Rise Up Leaders in California, who first met last year during our training, recently reconvened to learn, grow, and provide essential support to one another.
Rise Up Leader Tasha Henneman attended the recent convening and serves as the Chief of Policy and Government Affairs for PRC, a behavioral health nonprofit. With funding from Rise Up, Tasha and PRC aim to enhance the effectiveness of the City College of San Francisco’s gender diversity and inclusion policy by creating a comprehensive guidebook to assist transgender students in reporting grievances and raising awareness about the policy. Tasha shared how Rise Up has positively influenced her leadership journey:
“Engaging with Rise Up has left a profound mark on me, empowering me to not only absorb invaluable knowledge but also to pay it forward by sharing insights with others. The program expanded my network, linking me with like-minded individuals engaged in similar work. Rise Up fostered a courageous and nurturing learning environment where vulnerability is embraced, judgment is nonexistent, and knowledge is collaboratively cultivated and shared. This supportive community has been instrumental in my growth as a leader, allowing me to both contribute to and benefit from a collective pool of wisdom and experience.”
Rise Up Leader Araiye (Ray) Thomas-Haysbert also attended the convening and is a Youth Organizer with Youth Forward. With funding from Rise Up, Ray and Youth Forward are addressing the issue of equitable bathroom access in the Sacramento City Unified School District by achieving a district-wide restroom policy with a focus on the physical and mental health of girls, young women, nonbinary students, and LGBTQ students. Ray shared her personal connection to her advocacy work:
“I grew up in South Sacramento and attended Hiram W. Johnson High School. As a teenager I was engaged in many different advocacy and leadership efforts. I aim to help activate youth leadership and connect youth to opportunities to serve their schools and community. I enjoy having the opportunity to give back to the community that shaped me into the leader I am today. I found that some of the issues students are facing today are some of the same issues I struggled with while in high school. My goal is to show youth that their voices matter and that they can make impactful changes. Not only for themselves but for future generations.”
We will share updates as Tasha, Ray, and other Rise Up Leaders in California continue their advocacy work. Learn more about how Rise Up Leaders in California are creating meaningful gender equity change here.
