By Shanthi Gonzales

What does it take to have public leaders who are accountable and responsive to the East Bay’s most impacted communities? We believe that it requires recruiting, training and supporting leaders from our working class communities of color. To advance a much more aggressive agenda for progressive change, we need the help of leaders who apply social justice values to addressing issues ranging from affordable housing and land use to criminal justice, and who are accountable to other grassroots leaders in their communities.

Applications closed last week for Lead East Bay, Oakland Rising’s new leadership development program. With the help of progressive leaders from across the Bay Area, we recruited a diverse group of applicants. All told, we received 59 applications for the program’s 30 slots. Our applicants are some of the best and brightest progressive leaders in the Bay Area. We are proud to have attracted this kind of talent for our first cohort. Check out our applicants at a glance for more info on our first cohort’s applicants.

In June, Lead East Bay’s leaders will start training for their future positions on local boards and commissions or for elected public offices (with help from our sister organization, Oakland Rising Action). Through serving on Lead East Bay’s Advisory Committee, Bay Area social justice leaders will help us to train and continue to support participants once they are in leadership roles.

Want to meet our leaders? Come to our upcoming launching of Lead East Bay at the Oakland Progressives Party on June 15th!