Latinx Leaders Network

The Latinx Leaders Network is open to site and systems leaders in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano counties.

The Latinx Leaders Network is a space where education leaders who identify as Latinx come together to build community across diverse gender and language backgrounds. Recognizing the often limited collegial support for those who understand the unique challenges we face as Brown education leaders, we gather to feel seen, heard, and validated as we confront and address oppressive systems. In this space, we share insights and strategies for dismantling these barriers. Our network includes leaders with decades of experience as well as those just beginning their careers, yet we all encounter racial microaggressions and gender-based stereotypes that we can collectively challenge and overcome.

Community members will:

  • Build a network of Latinx leaders across the Bay Area to foster the exchange of ideas, experiences, wisdom, and expertise
  • Share “testimonios” to challenge and dismantle deficit narratives surrounding BIPOC students and their families
  • Engage in deep, meaningful conversations about race, gender, and power dynamics
  • Explore strategies that enhance professional practice and support the career advancement of Latinx leaders
  • Utilize our community's cultural wealth as a means to heal from systemic harms, stereotypes, and biases

Facilitators

Richard Zapien - Professional Learning Coordinator, 21CSLA Bay Area Regional Academy. Richard brings over 25 years of TK–12 experience, and is a graduate of the Principal Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley School of Education. His experience and expertise in teaching, instructional coaching, site leadership, and central office administration position him well to support school leaders in implementing equitable systems change. Richard provides guidance and resources to help leaders create inclusive and supportive learning environments that address the diverse needs of students from different racial backgrounds and social contexts.

Moraima Machado - UC Berkeley, Leadership Programs Coach; Principal, San Lorenzo Unified School District. Moraima is an experienced educator who has worked in various roles in the field of education for over 25 years. Moraima recently earned her EdD degree from East Carolina University, where she conducted research on critical pedagogy of storytelling in fifth-grade classrooms. Her dedication to education and her extensive experience in the field make her a valuable asset to the San Lorenzo Unified School District and to everyone in this network.

Jorge Melgoza - Principal, Alameda Unified School District. Jorge has been an instructional leader for thirty years during which time he has served in the capacity of central office leader, site administrator, teacher and mentor. His passion for equity stemmed from growing up in an economically impoverished but culturally rich learning environment that fueled his passion for social justice at every stop in his educational journey.

Luís E. Argueta - Program Manager for California Education Partners. Luís' work focuses on increasing outcomes for Latinx, African American, and students with socio-economic disadvantages. He works with districts to ensure that our most underserved students in the pre-K–12 system “get on and stay on track” to meet A-G graduation requirements. Luís is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute, Cohort 13. He carries a social justice perspective to advance access to education for those that have been historically marginalized.

Calendar

This localized professional learning series will be delivered in a HYBRID model. In-person sessions are denoted with an asterisk (*).

  • Saturday, September 28, 2024; 9:00–11:00am *
  • Tuesday, October 15, 2024; 5:00–6:30pm
  • Saturday, November 2, 2024; 9:00am–12:00pm *
  • Tuesday, January 21, 2025; 5:00–6:30pm
  • Saturday, February 1, 2025; 9:00–11:00am *
  • Saturday, April 12, 2025; 9:00–11:00am *

* In-person sessions

Who Should Participate

Site leaders, systems leaders, counselors, school psychologists, TOSAs.

21CSLA programs are offered at no cost to participants employed in Title II districts and schools in six Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Solano. 

Click here to see schools served by the 21CSLA grant. If you do not see your school, district or charter system, please contact us at 21csla_bayarea@berkeley.edu.

Registration

Click here to register.

Questions?

Contact Richard Zapien at rbzapien@berkeley.edu