RISE San Diego

This week, RISE San Diego welcomes Mauri Hamilton as our newest team member! Mauri will join RISE as the Director of Operations, bringing her over two decades of experience in nonprofit management and community engagement. Mauri has extensive experience working with historically underserved communities in areas such as public health, mental health, and housing. Most recently, Mauri served as the Operations Manager of Economic Development at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, where they worked with small business owners and entrepreneurs to help scale up their businesses. We are excited to have Mauri on board and look forward to continuing our collective commitment to advancing social equity and leadership!

Mentorship is such a privilege 🙏🏼 5 years ago, I began to understand the hard work and the heart work it takes to truly be an adaptive leader as a fellow in RISE San Diego's Urban Leadership Program (shoutout to my incredible mentors Ferchil Ramos and Macedonio Arteaga). This year, I had the opportunity to return back to serve as a mentor for Cohort 9 of the program. The reality of mentorship is you receive so much more than you could ever give. I'm immensely grateful for all that I've learned being in community with some of the most reflective, genuine and dedicated leaders ready to transform San Diego and honored to have gotten to share in this experience alongside the talented faculty that make this possible: Dominic Porter, Leah Goodwin, Azadeh Davari, Ph.D., Kristopher G. Hall, Steve Askar, Ale Uzarraga, Azucena Garcia, Annie M. Rios, Wilnisha Sutton Congratulations RISE Generation 9! 🎓 Cheers to a better and brighter San Diego thanks to each of you: Nonzenzele Aldonza, Lizette Alvarado, D'Andre Brooks, Aaron Burgess Jr, Livian Cole, Andrea Cook, Yolanda Franklin, Jesus Martin Gallegos-Muñoz, Gina Jacobs, MBA, Jamaéla Johnson, MPA, Alexa Labaun, Gustavo López, Diego Lynch, Alexiz Martinez, Cecilia Morales, Diego Plata, Yvette Porter Moore, Nadeaja Shaheed, MA, Ada Shido

Last Wednesday was the graduation ceremony for our ninth RISE Urban Leadership Fellows Program cohort, and I am immensely grateful! I want to thank all of the families, alumni, community partners, supporters, cheer squads, photographers, champions, and loved ones who were part of this special ceremony. The energy in the space was electric, and I appreciate each of you for showing up and showing out! I also want to thank the RISE team for their pivotal role in planning the event, coordinating logistics, marketing the ceremony, and handling the behind-the-scenes work. Thank you, Annamarie Montecina Till, Karina A. Barahona, and Ferchil Ramos, for your dedication and hard work! My eternal gratitude goes to the faculty and mentors for their invaluable support, teachings, investment, time, heartwork, perseverance, and sacrifices. YOU are the reason the program has been a success and has profound impacts on individuals, organizations, and communities. Thank you, Azadeh Davari, Ph.D., Leah Goodwin, Steve Askar, Kristopher G. Hall, Jonathan Villafuerte, MSC, PPSC, Ale Uzarraga, Courtney Ochi, Azucena Garcia, Annie M. Rios, and Wilnisha Sutton! You are the absolute best at holding space, leading from love, pushing with grace, and honoring the tension between the intellectual constructs of leadership and the humanity in us all. I am grateful to our investors, supporters, and partners for believing in our work. Your support makes offering our program at no cost to community members possible. Thank you for your trust, belief, and partnership! We hope you sense the impact of your support on this work. Thank you, The Conrad Prebys Foundation, Alliance Healthcare Foundation, Kazeem Omidiji, and Pauline Ma at SDG&E! Thank you Andrei Lucas for welcoming us into the space at ECC and being so supportive! Thank you Tina Maria King, Ed.D. for your purposeful words, and for making ECC a home for RISE San Diego! Thank you Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, J.D. for your pertinent speech, certificates, and work as an alum and community leader. Thank you, Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe and Ariel Gibbs, M.A. for your continued support as alumni and your authentic leadership! Thank you Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer for the support and fellows' certificates! Lastly, I am grateful for each of the fellows in cohort nine. Thank you for your trust, commitment, fortitude, community, and contributions. Please remember the tools, teachings, reflections, affirmations, readings, connection points, and messages. I look forward to seeing the seeds you planted bloom when they are ready. Congratulations, C9; welcome to the family! Nonzenzele Aldonza, Lizette Alvarado, D'Andre Brooks, Aaron Burgess Jr, Livian Cole, Andrea Cook, Yolanda Franklin, Jesus Martin Gallegos-Muñoz, Gina Jacobs, MBA, Jamaéla Johnson, MPA, Alexa Labaun, Gustavo López, Diego Lynch, Alexiz Martinez, Cecilia Morales, Diego Plata, Yvette Porter Moore, Nadeaja Shaheed, MA, Ada Shido In Lak'ech Ala K'in,

Nominations for the 2024 ILIA Awards now accepted through Sunday, July 7 Do you know an individual or an organization that embodies the spirit of inclusive leadership? Nominate them for the 2024 ILIA Awards! Now in its eighth year, the Inclusive Leadership in Action (ILIA) Awards continues to honor leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout San Diego County. You’re invited to share your nominations in seven award categories to recognize individuals and organizations whose efforts are making a real difference in our communities: Collective Resilience · Community Change Agent Culture Shifter · Next-Gen Influencer Restorative Practitioner · Organization for Change The Anthony M. Medina People's Champion Visit bit.ly/RISE-ILIA for more information on how to nominate a leader. The 2024 ILIA Award honorees will be announced on October 14 at the Museum of Photographic Arts @ SDMA. Email the RISE team at [email protected] with any questions.

Apply today for RISE Fellows Cohort 10! The application deadline for the RISE Leadership Fellows Program has been extended through this Sunday, July 7 for the 2024-25 program year, which begins in late August. Visit bit.ly/rulfp24 to learn more about becoming a fellow and how to apply, and reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Good luck!

This year, I've had the incredible privilege of serving as a leadership coach, faculty member, and facilitator at RISE San Diego. Words cannot fully capture the transformative work, love, and growth that unfold within this space. From grassroots initiatives to government collaborations, from peer interactions to strategic partnerships, and from colleagues to a genuine community – this group embodies the true spirit of San Diego. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to Tina Maria King, Ed.D. and Andrei Lucas for graciously opening the doors at San Diego College of Continuing Education. A special thank you to elected officials Sean Elo-Rivera, J.D., Monica Montgomery Steppe, and Racquel Vasquez for your presence and support of this exceptional community. ✨ Let’s hold these memories close to our hearts and continue to transform San Diego — keep rising, keep leading, keep loving. Congrats to the class of 2024; RISE Generation 9! 🎓 Fellows: Nonzenzele Aldonza, Lizette Alvarado, D'Andre Brooks, Aaron Burgess Jr, Andrea Cook, Livia Cole, Yolanda Franklin, Jesus Martin Gallegos-Muñoz, Gina Jacobs, MBA, Jamaéla Johnson, MPA, Alexa Labaun, Diego Lynch, Alexiz Martinez, Cecilia Morales, Diego Plata, Yvette Porter Moore, Ada Shido, Nadeaja Shaheed, MA Faculty: Dominic Porter, Leah Goodwin, Azadeh Davari, Ph.D. Kristopher G. Hall, Steve Askar, Ale Uzarraga, Azucena Garcia, Courtney Ochi, Annie M. Rios, Wilnisha Sutton, Photo credit: Carlos Solorio

Beaming with gratitude to announce that I, along with 19 other transformative leaders, are newly minted RISE Urban Leadership Graduates ☀️🎓✨ This deep and profound adventure helped me journey into self, engage with community, and honor the healing necessary to thrive. RISE, you have held me in brave spaces this year as I navigated immense change in all of my realms and felt as if my world was in utter chaos. As a creation that prides herself on being a self-as-instrument leader, I have most definitely been sharpened and finely tuned. Thank you, RISE San Diego for creating intentional experiences that promote growth and honor the ability of your fellows and familia. To my GEN 9 crew, all of those spirals were completely and utterly worth it if I get to keep yall in my tribe 🙌🏽 With warmth and love, ☀️ LinkedIn, please help me to celebrate these brilliant and worthy leaders🙌🏽👏🏽🎓 Nonzenzele Aldonza, Lizette Alvarado, D'Andre Brooks, Aaron Burgess Jr, Andrea Cook, Livian Cole, Yolanda Franklin, Jesus Martin Gallegos-Muñoz, Gina Jacobs, MBA , Jamaéla Johnson, MPA, Alexa Labaun, Gustavo López, Diego Lynch, Alexiz Martinez, Cecilia Morales, Diego Plata, Yvette Porter Moore, Ada Shido Special notes of admiration and love to Zachary Green and Salina Juliana Villegas for writing my letters of recommendation for my very last minute application to RISE last summer. Your guidance to this achievement has made it all the more impactful and special.

Last nights RISE San Diego “Cohort 9” graduation was nothing short of amazing! It’s been a long year comprised of learning adaptive leadership skills, conducting the inner-work needed to be a successful leader, and completing a “Community Action Project” geared towards disrupting the school to prison pipeline. #Freedom2Succeed Thank you to my amazing cohort, mentors, and all of those who have come before us. #TheRiseWay 💙🏁

"We have long admired RISE for developing new leaders, particularly from under-tapped communities. RISE's impact is deep AND wide, and we're thrilled to be part of the ILIA legacy." - Dr. Hei-ock (pronounced Hay-oh) Kim - she/her Kim, Executive Director of The Kim Center for Social Balance There is still time to nominate an organization or individual making great changes for our communities. Visit https://bit.ly/RISE-ILIA to share your nominee. Nominations are closing soon!

#FarSouthBorderNorth Grantees in Action in Imperial County 🎨 Murals in Brawley and Calexico are being created by local artists Roy Dorantes, Michael Lopez, and Elizabeth Ibarra – who are also working on a mobile mural project – to promote civic engagement, and in particular voting across Imperial Valley communities. The initiative is led by Far South/Border North grantee organization, LOS AMIGOS DE LA COMUNIDAD IV ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gfPAMiYM Far South/Border North is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a State Agency, and The Conrad Prebys Foundation. Catalyst works as an implementation partner through a contract with The City of San Diego. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gvq9X99c. #philanthropy #civicengagement #imperialcounty Maria Peinado, MPA