CalSAC is proud to highlight Samantha “Samm” McCary and Katherine Lucero from CalSAC's 2020 Leadership Development Institute for Emerging Leaders of Color fellowship. Samm and Katherine are leaders who have demonstrated unrivaled commitment to the field and drive for advanced leadership in the out-of-school time and early learning field.
Samantha “Samm” McCary, Bay Area Community Resources - Alameda
Samantha, also known as Samm, has been drawn to the out-of-school time field since she was a child! Her family and friends were everything to her and still are. As she got older, she began to learn the importance of friendships and what it meant to be a friend. Losing many loved ones at such an early age, including her father at the age of nine, taught her to hold on to and cherish those closest to her.
As a teenager, Samantha began to lose close friends to street violence and other causes. Samm believes this is what truly pushed her towards working with youth. She wanted to make a difference in her community and have an impact on kids that resembled her, came from the same place as she did and shared similar struggles.
Samm worked at many childcares and youth facilities around the ages of 18 and 19. However, it didn’t really click for her until she became an afterschool instructor in the LEAPS Afterschool program in Alameda, CA. She had her own class of 2nd/3rd grade students, in which she taught music. Samm would teach music lessons that included songwriting, poetry, dance, different genres of music and a little history that went along with it all. She was combining what she loved into one job, music and working with people.
As Samm explored different positions at different schools within the after school field, she got her degree in Psychology. This pushed Samm to step outside of her box even more. She eventually landed her own program, that later led to managing several after school programs. Her consistent, thorough and meaningful work ethic shined through in every venture she embarked upon. She continues to push herself to be the best version of herself, remain creative and true to her passion.
Samm’s life mission is to reach her fullest potential and to help others do the same! She wants to help more leaders to acknowledge, accept and step into their strengths! She wants to see more leaders that look like her, have seats at different tables and be apart of bigger conversations. She wants to be a voice for those that may be afraid to speak up.
Samm is also a singer and songwriter. One thing she can say for sure about the music industry is that it teaches you that you are your biggest critic! You can determine how successful you will be or won’t be. You have the power to be great, but you have to believe in yourself! You may get a million “no’s” before you get one “yes”, but no matter what, you keep pushing!
Samm believes that we must stand for something, or we will fall for anything! She wants to be that leader who will stand up and press on against all odds that are meant to make us fall, but in the long run will inspire and encourage a new generation of leaders!
Top 5 Strengths:
Communication | Empathy | Strategic | Woo | Positivity
“Stand for something, or fall for anything.”
Katherine Lucero, Beyond the Bell - Los Angeles
Katherine Lucero is a committed community builder. Her community building began when she was on-boarded as a summer camp counselor for Regis House Community Center in West Los Angeles. She had been a camper at Regis House Community Center for four years prior. Although she had minimal prior experiences working with youth and families, she quickly learned how to educate, entertain, and provide resources, as did her prior counselors. She enjoyed the personal fulfillment feeling that came along with it and knew she needed to continue giving back to her community.
After attaining her B.A. at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in Literature and Minor in Latin American and Latino Studies, she simultaneously began giving back to her community through Lakeshore Learning as a “Crafts for Kids” facilitator, and as a Program Worker for the Los Angeles Unified School District – Beyond the Bell - Youth Development Program in 2013. As she grew and gained further community building opportunities in both fields, she recognized her ability to establish and maintain trusting relationships with various stakeholders.
Through Katherine’s current role within the District as an Area Program Supervisor and the progressing power of her strengths: Strategic, Achiever, Responsibility, Individualization and Focus; she is able to be the strong advocate and innovative driving force in creating opportunities and access for various stakeholders within the Los Angeles county communities.
Top 5 Strengths:
Strategic | Achiever | Responsibility | Individualization | Focus
“For we know that all children can learn, but the question is do we have the will to ensure that it happens.”