Jennifer Xicara
After School Enrichment Program Co-Founder
Akoma Unity Center
San Bernardino, CA- Jennifer Xicara (she, her/s), is a community builder and equity driven leader serving youth and community through grassroots advocacy efforts in the Inland Empire. Jennifer was raised in the City of San Bernardino and is the oldest of four siblings. Her passion for family, community, education, and servitude derived from working underneath her mother at a young age. Growing up, Jennifer watched her mother, as a single mom work tirelessly yet passionately as a Labor Representative for the San Bernardino County Employees Association. Jennifer spent much time volunteering at her mother’s Holiday Giveaways and food/clothes banks; not foreseeing, that her mother was passing the torch in continuing the work in their community.
During Jennifer’s Undergraduate Studies, she volunteered at a local community garden, interned at Warehouse Workers United and CAL PIRG, while working as a Tutor for a local Elementary School. These opportunities have broadened her understanding and critical awareness of inequities and disparities in access that exists in our communities. These experiences ignited a deeper passion, as she recognized her agency to transform communities through youth development that meet the needs of excluded African American youth and communities.
In 2017, Jennifer Co-Founded Akoma Unity Center a thriving non-profit After School Enrichment program serving at-risk youth and their families in the City of San Bernardino. The mission of Akoma Unity Center is to educate, heal, and transform communities of color by cultivating healthy families, organizing communities, and creating economic empowerment. While addressing the greatest challenges affecting the lives of all families in the community. Jennifer is currently the Operations Manager, in which her main role is strategic planning, program management/development, community outreach, and marketing. Additionally, in 2018, Jennifer led Akoma’s Youth Civic Engagement Program in which she mentors and inspired youth to participate in local government.
Jennifer is most proud of creating change in the community who have helped shaped the womxn she is today so younger generations of color can have opportunities beyond the traditional school day. Jennifer is looking towards a future where Akoma will expand into other local and National disenfranchised neighborhoods to bridge the gap of equality and equity.
Jennifer resides in the City of San Bernardino. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and close friends.