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Note From Our Executive Director
Dear Thrive Community,
This month, we said farewell to Rebekah Townsend, our AmeriCorps VISTA this past year. We also welcomed our new VISTA, Michelle Lee, a graduate of UC Berkeley, and Fernando Hernandez, a student at Stanford University who will be joining us as our summer intern. Rebekah helped lead our CRM transition and supported our nonprofit landscape analysis, in addition to expanding our environmental justice efforts. It's so fitting that she's heading off to kick off her studies in environmental law! In fact, her last act with Thrive was organizing our upcoming event called "Summer at the Beach: Murky Waters or Clean Coastlines," which we welcome you to tune in for next week.
We're also thrilled to welcome three new board members to the Thrive team: Cari Pang Chen, one of the original founders of Thrive; Margi Power, co-founder of Leadership Council San Mateo County; and Irving Torres, former legislative aide to Supervisor Warren Slocum, and one of Thrive's original Holiday Mix & Mingle keynote speakers! Welcome to this fabulous trio!
We have been continuing to expand our efforts around racial equity and social justice. Save the date for a racial equity conference that we will co-host with SVCN October 4-7. Last week, Thrive was joined by Shireen Malekafzali (she/her), Chief Equity Officer at San Mateo County at our quarterly Leadership Circle Luncheon for an important discussion on San Mateo County's equity framework. Our equity work continues to grow in partnership with the County, we look forward to supporting Shireen's vision in her new position. See our LCL section below for a recap and links.
Finally, Thrive, CEN, and SVCN will co-host a conversation with Sandy Herz, Sobrato Philanthropies' new President. This will be an opportunity to learn about what to expect as Sobrato Philanthropies shifts its leadership to Sandy. You can read the full description and sign up here.
Sending strength, resilience, and well-being.
Georgia Farooq
Georgia D. Farooq
Thrive Spotlight
Leader Voices: In Conversation with Thrive and SVCN
Read Magnify Community's interview featuring Georgia D. Farooq, Executive Director of Thrive, The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, and Kyra Kazantzis, CEO of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, to discover how local nonprofits have weathered the past two years, lessons learned, and what’s still needed to ensure a strong and resilient Silicon Valley social sector.
Goodbye Rebekah
With enormous gratitude, Thrive bids farewell to our AmeriCorps VISTA, Rebekah Townsend and we wish her well as she heads off to law school. Below are her words.
I entered my VISTA year as a recent college grad in the midst of a pandemic, unsure of myself and the circumstances we were living in. But, I was extremely lucky to be joining such an inclusive and supportive team at Thrive.
Through working with the Environment & Sustainability Thrive Action Group, I learned extensively about the ins and outs of the environmental movement and all of the inspirational work done by nonprofits, and how they’re making change every day. I had the opportunity to connect and learn from experts in the field. Cultivating a meeting focused on improving water quality and access was one of the many opportunities that furthered my passion for environmental justice.
My understanding of the power and impact of the nonprofits grew significantly while working on the Strategic Alliances Initiative, which aims to build the strength of nonprofits after the effects of the pandemic. Connecting and collaborating with my VISTA cohort grounded me, instilled in me a greater appreciation of community-focused values, allowed my leadership skills to flourish, and brought to light my ability to bring groups together.
As I reflect on my time with Thrive, I feel so grateful for the personal growth I have experienced, and the endless support from an amazing team. I am looking forward to continuing to build on what I’ve learned in my next chapter.
To learn more about the AmeriCorps VISTA program visit their website or connect with the local AmeriCorps VISTA Program Manager, William Besson.
A Big Welcome to Thrive's New Board Members
Welcome to Thrive's newest board members! Learn more about their backgrounds and experiences below.
Cari Pang Chen
Cari is a local community builder and creative problem-solver who has worked with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations throughout the Bay Area. She has served in a variety of leadership roles throughout San Mateo County, including serving as the first Executive Director of Thrive - The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County and most recently as Associate Director of Rebuilding Together Peninsula for nearly 12 years. She serves on the Koshland Committee for the San Francisco Foundation, volunteers for Samaritan House, serves as President of the Sterling Downs Neighborhood Association in Belmont, and is the Junior Warden for St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Redwood City.
Cari lives in Belmont with her husband, two teenagers, and dog. She has a BA in Urban Studies - Community Organizations and MA in Education - Policy Analysis & Evaluation from Stanford University.
Margi Power
Margi is the Co-Founder and Co-President of Leadership Council San Mateo County and has a passion for leadership development, strategic planning, and connecting a diverse group of people.
After graduating from Bowdoin College, Margi taught in the charter corps of Teach For America, which sparked a lifelong passion for public education reform. After obtaining a Master’s in Educational Policy from Stanford University, Margi worked in education software development and later served as a nonprofit leader for several local organizations while raising her two daughters. She was elected to the school board in Hillsborough for two terms, serving a total of nine years, and served as the Executive Director of Leadership San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, and Hillsborough for four years. During her tenure, she worked with the Advisory Board, the Curriculum Committee and her colleague, Kaarin Hardy, to raise funds for program expansion, improve the overall curriculum, and increase demand for the program.
Margi enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family.
Irving Torres
For a decade, Irving has focused on building relationships and advancing policy solutions that improved and empowered the lives of youth and BIPOC communities throughout the country. Irving currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement at All Home. Prior, Irving served as Government and Community Affairs for KIPP Northern California. Before that, he was the California Regional Organizing Director for Kamala Harris's 2020 presidential campaign. He also served as Senior Legislative Aide to San Mateo County Supervisor Warren Slocum, where he worked on policies around housing and immigration. Irving previously served as the Southside of Milwaukee Field Organizer for President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign. He is a New Leaders Council Fellow and has served as a mentor for the Peninsula College Fund.
Irving is a San Mateo County native and earned his undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of Utah, and holds a Master's of Public Administration from San Francisco State University.
Welcome New Thrive Members!
Business Member
Individual Member
Ruth Welch
What Thrive's Been Working On
Leadership Circle Luncheon: Engaging with San Mateo County's New Equity Framework
Thrive hosted Shireen Malekafzali (she/her), the first ever Chief Equity Officer at San Mateo County at our quarterly program, Thrive Leadership Circle Luncheon, which brings together San Mateo County nonprofit leaders to network, share ideas, and celebrate their important work in a friendly environment of peers. Shireen presented the County's equity framework to over 60 participants, and opened up a space for candid discussion and Q & A. We learned about San Mateo County's current and future equity efforts, and the work Shireen is embarking on in her new position.
You can view Shireen's presentation, Journeying To Advance Equity in San Mateo County,here.
The recall election is coming up Sept 14! Thrive will be hosting five identical 15-minute trainings, open to anyone, to learn about how the election works and how to do outreach.
Census Data
Raw census datawill be released August 16 and then in a more usable format for redistricting on September 30.
Redistricting
On August 3, the BoS confirmed the members of the Advisory commission for redistricting for County Supervisors. They are still looking for one more person to serve on the commission. For more information on this and local jurisdiction redistricting and districting, visit our redistricting webpage!
Last month the CCATs convened for another monthly meeting where we viewed a presentation on rental assistance from Samaritan House. Dr. Curtis Chan from San Mateo County Health also lead the teams through an update on the County, and information and predictions about the Delta Variant, which we took to breakout rooms for further discussion. You can catch the replay on the Thrive Youtube channel.
A new Health Order requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings starting Tues, August 3. To learn more, click here.
The planning committee has been working hard capturing input from administrators and teachers about where they most need support. The next Children & Education Peer Learning Series meeting in August will serve as a space to convene and share data, insights, and pass along ideas on how to best tackle how we can join forces as well as the gaps experienced by teachers, students, providers, and parents. More information from previous meetings here.
During a summer of transitions, the Environment & Sustainability TAG still has its head in the sand, so we are focusing on the beach! Join us to hear from nonprofits and various government branches who are working toward clean coastlines and decreasing pollution entering the ocean and the Bay on August 12, 3:30 - 5:00 pm. After the recent news that Foster City has three of the lowest-rated water quality beaches in the state, we want to bring together the community to collaborate, discuss what is being done, and identify opportunities to work toward progress. Join the conversation! Keep a look out for our September meeting where we will focus on making collective climate change goals with you!
Congratulations to Robin Rodricks who is the head of the new San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture, which seeks to connect the dozens of groups dedicated to the arts and culture in San Mateo County. Robin sees a thriving arts and culture scene as a powerful force to help the region emerge from the pandemic, both for the economic and emotional recovery. She has the following goals laid out for her by County leaders:
Staffing the Arts Commission and assisting commissioners in implementing its strategic plan
Applying for federal, state, and private funding in support of County arts and artists
Managing state and federal grants
Promoting cross-departmental collaborations to achieve the County’s goals of incorporating arts, culture and creativity into all sectors of County government
Liaising with key County partners to further the arts and culture countywide
In opening this office, the County is providing a gathering place for local artists and the art-interested to develop projects that will create beauty, communicate new ideas, and bring communities together.
The 2022 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Community Fund is now accepting applications. This fund pairs grants with capacity-building programming to support local organizations breaking down barriers to help create a more socially, economically, and racially just San Mateo County. Selected organizations will join the 2022 Community Fund grant partner cohort, receiving a two-year grant up to $200,000, and the opportunity to participate in a collaborative capacity building program to support leadership and organizational development. More Info
We invite North San Mateo County nonprofit and public sector staff members in the family strengthening arena to explore this unique leadership program. Thrive is proud to champion On The Verge, which supports the leadership development. On The Verge is a rigorous program that elevates the abilities of leaders by emphasizing personal, interpersonal and professional development.
