BLBC Graduation: Activating Leaders to Make Changes in Their Communities

Activating Leaders to Make Changes in their Communities:

BLBC training session

David Cota, EBALDC’s Senior Community Organizer, presented the award certificates to each participant, noting that “The Building Leaders, Building Communities curriculum is about creating teams of leaders in the community—where community members can utilize actions, implement messaging and strategies for recruitment, and build leadership skills.” Supported and developed by NeighborWorks America, the curriculum supports neighborhood residents to become leaders in their own communities (including facilitators of this training) and consists of interactive learning exercises around subjects like budgeting and planning for community meetings and events, how to build leadership skills, including enhancing connections and group success, and identifying participants’ own leadership styles.

The cohort of ten people included two participant co-facilitators, Silvia Guzman and Erika Garner. Half of the participants live at LCC, with the rest living in Havenscourt and surrounding neighborhoods or have past engagement with the Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative (HHC). In addition to Silvia and Erika, the other participants were: Althie Wheaton, Antoinette Taylor, Benjamin (Ben) Smith, Dhamman Munassar, Keisha Henderson, Tanya Boice, Raven Hicks, and Martin Lara. An eleventh participant who did not complete the curriculum due to illness was also present to support the cohort.

Co-facilitators Erika Garner and Silvia Guzman

Silvia, who is also a La Clinica advocate on the dangers of lead in Oakland housing, said: “I’ve done other trainings using other curricula, and nothing is as community-oriented as this one. This training gives practical tools and language to the community level where community people can activate and make change locally.” Erika added that “the training pushed me out of my comfort zone and boosted my confidence to try.”  

Ben, a volunteer for Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors, “liked that the training was about understanding how to connect with people. I use it already in how I work with folks. We need more training around here. A lot of groups need help on budget writing and grant writing. We have board members that need training. They need to learn how to be fundraising and grant writing.” He added that “leadership training is a big deal here because we need it in our communities.”  

Tanya said “It has been a real eye-opener to be in community here and getting out of the silos” in the world outside the training.

EBALDC’s David Cota and LCC resident Dhamman Munassar

Antoinette, a volunteer for the HHC and a neighborhood resident, was “so glad to… learn more about who I am as a leader,” and wants to take what she has learned and “be a bridge to the rest of the community outside of this building complex—to let them know about the what’s happening here [and resources available at LCC].” Her sentiment was echoed by Ben: “More people should learn about what we’re doing here! We should have news people here. We should have cameras here as opposed to only showing what’s bad in Oakland all the time. We’re doing good things here.” 

Also on hand to celebrate over pizza at the party with the residents were EBALDC’s Sr. Manager for LCC Resident Services, Adrienne Smith-White (known to residents as Miss Adrienne), Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative Manager Aurora Chavez, Project Coordinator Raine Robichaud (who worked with the BLBC cohort on a neighborhood asset mapping activity), Resident Services Coordinators Kendra Robertson and Griselda Hernandez, and EVP for Community Building, Ener Chiu.

Lisa Hasegawa, Western Regional Vice President for NeighborWorks America said: “We at NeighborWorks are pleased that our BLBC training provided these Oakland residents a community of trust in which they could collaboratively work on practical strategies to identify community problems and pathways to developing community-based solutions. They have already done so much for their communities; we can’t wait to see what’s next.” 

Want to learn more about EBALDC’s Leadership Programs for residents? Our BLBC graduates will be at our 48th Anniversary Gala on Thursday September 7th! Join us and be inspired!

San Pablo Hotel Anchor
Gala Sponsor Spotlight:

We are pleased to highlight BBI Construction as an EBALDC Gala Sponsor this year at the San Pablo Hotel Anchor Tier.  

Established in 1974 (initially as Berkeley Builders), BBI Construction has been a stalwart of the East Bay construction and building scene ever since. Like the founders of EBALDC, BBI’s founders met while students at UC Berkeley in the early 1970s. Connected through their shared experience with building and carpentry and mentored by a retired contractor then working part-time at the UC Playhouse’s scene shop, Tom McCoy and Moe Wright started their own company, which in the early 1980s relocated from Berkeley to Oakland. Since then, their firm has been known as BBI Construction with a focus on Bay Area commercial and residential projects. They have been the construction partner to several of EBALDC’s housing and mixed-use developments, such as the 1990s redesign of the Swan’s Market complex in Old Oakland, the rehabilitation of Hismen Hin-Nu Terrace in Fruitvale, and renovation of the Frank G. Mar Community Housing complex in Chinatown.

Said EBALDC’s Capri Roth: “With our shared deep roots in the East Bay, EBALDC recognizes and appreciates BBI’s continued support of EBALDC and our neighborhood-focused approach to community development.” 

Below is a Q & A with BBI Construction’s Director of Pre-Construction, Lauline Mitchell:

What brought you into the EBALDC Family?  

In the 1990s, BBI Construction was looking for projects that had a community connection, and we became aware of the affordable housing that EBALDC was creating through the purchase and renovation of existing apartment buildings. We helped them renovate a building in East Oakland and have been working with EBALDC ever since.

What about EBALDC’s work most excites you? 

The majority of the BBI team lives and works in the Oakland/East Bay area and are invested in the community. We are excited by the work that EBALDC does to support healthy communities.  Whether it is creating housing or providing support services for those in need, we appreciate the efforts and particularly the thoughtful approach EBALDC takes in creating safe and vibrant neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area.

How does your company’s vision align with EBALDC’s vision of an “East Bay where everyone has a place to call home and the resources to thrive”? 

BBI was established in 1974. We have prided ourselves in building communities for almost 50 years. With every affordable housing project, we work collaboratively to realize our client’s vision for home and community, optimizing building solutions and proactively resolving construction issues to smooth the way to success.

How does EBALDC’s work relate to your work and the transformation you’d like to see in the world?

BBI is dedicated to building healthy, safe, and vibrant communities in the Bay Area. We firmly believe everyone deserves a place to live, and we are here to build it or assist in any way that we can.

Learn more about BBI Construction and their work here!