Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Advocacy
Why
Who
A fifteen-member DEIA committee made up of staff, volunteers, board members, students, alumni, and community members.
LEAP’s Management Team: Linda Saris, Kayla Dorst, Jesenia Tejada-Perez, Hilary Kopp and John Dudley
LEAP Board: Manny Cruz (also LEAP alumnus), James Rowan, Ellen Galligan
LEAP Staff: Sandra Castillo
Community Members: Andre Fonseca, Gerda Pasquarello, Vicki Tzortzis, Mary-Lou Breitborde
LEAP Student: Chinma O.
LEAP Alumna: Rosa Alvarez
What
The DEIA committee is focusing on six areas:
Education & Practice
LEAP Culture
Diversity
Youth Voice
Program Design & Culture
Advocacy
How and When
The DEIA committee met monthly from March, 2021 to December 2021 to create a DEIA plan that was approved by the Board of Directors in January, 2022. LEAP will spend calendar years 2022 and 2023 to complete the plan’s action items, to include, among other objectives, training, revising policies, diversifying our talented staff to reflect the lived experiences of our youth, drafting curriculum, and building our individual and collective voice. After 2024, LEAP will continue to make DEIA a priority in our programs and culture.
Updates will be shared on this page.