CalSAC is proud to highlight Veronica Garcia from CalSAC's Leadership Development Institute for Emerging Leaders of Color 2017. Veronica is a leader who has demonstrated unrivaled commitment to the field and drive for advanced leadership in the out-of-school time and early learning field.

***Veronica Garcia, San Francisco Human Rights Commission - San Francisco***

Veronica Garcia is a Policy Analyst with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC). During her time with the HRC, Veronica has supported a number of projects, such as: the Equity Advisory Committee, the Community Safety Initiative, and Youth/Police Community Relations. In addition, Veronica’s work focuses on addressing issues of hate, bullying and education equity through building the leadership of youth as ambassadors of the HRC’s mission:

“…to address the causes of and problems resulting from prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination.”

Currently, Veronica is helping build the leadership and capacity of youth at various schools in the multicultural communities San Francisco.

Veronica is passionate about improving the lives of community members residing in disenfranchised and marginalized communities. She believes the individuals most impacted by policy, and those in need of services, must have a voice in the decision making process. Her experience growing up in a working class immigrant family in San Francisco and having her first child while still in high school has given her valuable insights. These values stemmed from how hard it can be to make it through school, how much work and determination is required to be successful in life in the face of so many obstacles, and how absolutely essential supportive adults and educators are along the way. Moreover, she is a proud San Francisco native, the mother of two beautiful “woke” young women, and a first-generation college graduate with a degree in Latino/Latina Studies from San Francisco State University’s College of Ethnic Studies.