Oakland Leaf :: Community Transformation Through Creative Education. After school programs for youth. Art, murals, food gardening, media, music, performance arts, leadership, peace, justice.

Dear Friends and Family of Oakland Leaf,

It is with great honor and gratitude that I announce effective August 1, 2009, I will transition from Executive Co-Director of Oakland Leaf to an evolved role as Youth Leadership Director (i.e. Youth Roots & Youth Interns), with an added role support to our Development team, while also continuing my work as a Teacher Educator and PhD student. I say that it is with great honor and gratitude that I transition from my role of the past two years, because I know that much has been done to create a significantly better and more sustainable Oakland Leaf. In addition, I have complete faith that Mirella Rangel, who has been my co-Director these past two years, will help to lead Oakland Leaf towards even deeper roots and more abundant fruits.

Two years ago, Mirella Rangel and I proudly stepped into the shared role of Executive Co-Directors to bring not only stability, but to also expand the infrastructure, nurture the progression of programs & systems, move into, open, & cultivate our new community center, and co-evolve the soulful & progressive culture of our overall organization. Prior to Mirella and I stepping into our shared leadership role, almost all responsibilities for Finance, Development, Contracting, Human Support Services, systems development, organizational development, & strategic planning rested on the shoulders of the single Executive Director. Since then, we have brought in the necessary people, restructured the leadership, embarked on a year long strategic planning process (which also contributed to setting up my transition), and re-engineered existing or implemented new systems needed to help Oakland Leaf proceed on a path of sustainability, while pushing the envelope of what a justice-oriented youth development non-profit organization can become. The people, structures, and systems surrounding Mirella will help provide a more sustainable and balanced workload as Executive Director. In addition, because I am only transitioning back into my original focus of cultivating youth leaders (i.e. Youth Roots & Youth Interns), I will still be able to contribute to Oakland Leaf senior leadership. My role in Development Support is being established in order to allow me to help represent Oakland Leaf as presentation & speaking engagements arise. This role also fits perfectly with my already visible presence as a public intellectual and teacher educator.

As we approach August 1, Mirella and I will be meeting regularly to officially transition my previous responsibilities and close out various other executive activities.

While I have found that I have contributed greatly to the development of Oakland Leaf, its programs, and its people as an executive leader, my love has always been with the youth. In addition, if I am to continue on my path to help support cultivate the best teachers that are needed in the Town, then I must also devote more time to my academic work as a Ph.D. student and teacher educator. So, while I must transition, I still humbly thank you all for your support and faith in my role as Executive Co-Director. I am committed to furthering the beautiful work that we have been doing together. Please feel free to talk with me directly about any questions or comments you might have.

In solidarity,

G Reyes
Executive Co-Director