Change the Story Program

Executive Summary

Through a $10,000 grant from the Changemaker Initiative we are partnering with David Garcia, a local activist who will be leading a 10 week community organizing training program centering on Latinx folx in Mountain View, ages 14-30 to empower them to create community-owned resources, influence civic services, and enable the next generation of local leaders in Mountain View.

Project Details

Brief description of your project including major building blocks.

Structure: Over a 10 week program, 3 dedicated trainers will meet weekly with a cohort of 15-20 community members for 2 hours, covering relationship building/network, leadership, idea initiations/implementations, and other key topics.
Timeline:
- October 23 – January 15:
  - David will lead a recruitment effort to identify and confirm the participation of 15-20 community members, focusing on the Latinx and socio-economically disadvantaged community ages 14-30.
  - David will engage in ethnographic data collection
  - David will work with St. Stephen’s in-the-Field support team to identify training venues, St. Stephen’s will use our network to help secure free and low-cost venues of significance.
  - David and community will identify 9 speakers who can bring their lived and professional experience to the cohort.
  - David will identify 2 fellow trainers.
  - David and other trainers will develop curriculum.
- January 15 – May 15:
  - David, plus 2 additional trainers will convene weekly 2-hour trainings in significant community venues (Adobe House, local restaurants that are highly community involved, etc).
  - March 15th: David and his trainers will come to St. Stephen’s for a weekend retreat

Project Metrics

75% or more of participants will self-evaluate that they feel more prepared to make their voices heard in civic and community matters in Mountain View. We’ll use a pre-training and post-training ethnographic data collection technique.
15-20 people will begin and complete the training.

Direct Impact

Liliana is a 25 year old mother who David met at a 10 week civic training provided by the city of Mountain View. Liliana is a long time resident of Mountain View, a product of the public schools, and today heavily involved in her community. Her experiences as being undocumented and bilingual is a testament to her ingenuity and resilience in the city of Mountain View.

Throughout the civic training she shared openly her experiences. Despite her current involvement in the community and knowledge regarding city services, particularly those for her community, she struggled having critical dialogue or to comprehend how to advocate for improvements that could better serve her community. During one session at the library she expressed her feelings of inadequacy of advocacy for an English Language Learners program at the library that could greatly benefit individuals like her parents.

This program is for Liliana and dedicated to her growth and empowerment. By the end of the program, Liliana will not only possess the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for essential community programs, including at the library, but she will also develop a deep understanding of, and engagement with, the social, political, and economic issues in Mountain View. Through this transformative experience, she and her fellow participants will emerge personally and collectively empowered to drive lasting change in their community.

Get Involved

If you’re interested in helping support David’s important work, please contact Jessica Dickinson Goodman (jessica.dickinson.goodman@gmail.com).