LÍDERES VERDES
Líderes Verdes aims to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to support improved air quality and other issues by leveraging their lived experiences and community voices. Participants engage in various activities, including identifying environmental issues in their neighborhoods, setting goals to address these issues, and working collaboratively with the support of Verde, connecting to nature and healing. This program is conducted in Spanish.
Background
In 2011, community members approached Verde with a proposal: pay low-income community members for time spent in meetings with government agencies and other policymakers. Prior, many of these same members had worked alongside Verde and partners to engage government agencies and contractors about the construction of Cully Greenstreet. They said, “Everyone else at these meetings was paid; why should the lowest income participants have to volunteer?”
In response, Verde created Líderes Verdes, an annual training program that builds the capacity of community members to participate in environmental organizing and advocacy as well as in Verde activities and decision-making.
For 13 years, Líderes Verdes has been offering its leadership development program for Spanish-speaking adults, covering community organizing, Housing, Transportation, climate justice, and water Justice. Understanding local government, emergency management, and environmental leadership, particularly addressing the adverse effects of air pollution.
Goals
Offer each cohort member (~13 participants) up to 100 hours of paid training in and outside of the classroom.
Connect participants with tree walks and tree planting activities in partnership with Friends of Trees.
Cross-departmental learning at Verde for participants to learn about local air quality and water justice issues and methods of civic engagement.
Connect participants with outdoor activities like hiking and canoeing.
Eight weeks of training, including Trauma-informed classes.
Join a growing alumni network where they stay connected with each other and with future volunteer and paid opportunities to continue working in their communities
Each year, 1st and 2nd year participants:
What Our Goals Look Like in Practice
Advocacy
Learn how to testify to the city council on housing, transportation, and environmental issues.
Education
Learn the different parts of government to understand where to focus our efforts for community-driven change.
Professional Development
Build meeting facilitation skills, team building, and relationship building—collaboration with the Latino Network for leadership training.
Program Requirements:
•Ability to understand and speak fluent Spanish.
•Passionate about working with the community.
•Ability to attend monthly meetings, including ten or more 2-hour sessions annually.
• Attend monthly classroom training approximately 8-12 hours monthly and on weekends.
• Attend more than 2 hours of other community meetings or training per month as indicated on the LV activity list.
• Attend a program retreat all day on weekends.
• Submit a follow-up form on the 30th of every other month documenting workshops/meetings you have attended and something you learned.
• Attending other Verde meetings or events is optional but recommended.
If you meet the program requirements (mentioned above), you will receive a fee of $550*every five months. You are responsible for any taxes payable on the fees and fill out W-9. Please note that you are not a Verde employee. If you cannot attend a required meeting or workshop, please give one week's notice (unless it is an unforeseen emergency). You will be disqualified from the program if you miss more than three workshops/events for non-emergency reasons.
If all of these requirements are met, please fill out your application.
