Center for Community Change Wins Leadership Award

Dear Friends and Colleagues: As the chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for Community Change, I’m very proud of the investment the organization is making in leadership development in the nonprofit sector. Cultivating potential leaders who are passionate about social justice is one of the Center’s foremost interests-and a priority that I know many of CCC’s partners and funders share. I wanted to share an article by Deepak Bhargava that profiles the Center for Community Change’s leadership development program. CCC has cultivated leadership both internally through programs for the staff, and externally through the Generation Change program to develop the next generation of community activists and nonprofit leaders through internships, fellowships, advanced organizing training and an extensive alumni network. In the attached article, Deepak reflects on some of the lessons CCC is learning as it deepens and refines its leadership development programs. Perhaps most importantly, the Center’s efforts reinforce the belief that there is real hunger for social change activism among young people today, and that it is possible to channel that energy and enthusiasm into visionary leadership that will serve low-income communities and the social justice movement. Earlier this month, the Center for Community Change was honored to be recognized by Independent Sector-a coalition of charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in America and around the world-with the 2008 American Express Building Leadership Award. In announcing the award, Independent Sector president and CEO Diana Aviv praised CCC for investing in leaders who will increase social and economic justice among low-income communities, adding that CCC’s dedication to promoting an inclusive and diverse society, as well as its commitment to building a new generation of talented young leaders, embodies the ideals this award celebrates. I wanted to share this recognition with you, since the Center’s work would not be possible without your interest and support. And yet, CCC still finds the most stirring rewards for its work on the ground: introducing young people to the field of organizing and the tools they need to have an impact; watching organizers find new strength and purpose through training and support; teaching a generation eager to fight for social justice that change is possible, with their efforts. The attached article describes a young woman named Neha Singhal, a college student who spent her 2008 summer internship with Generation Change helping domestic workers fight for fair wages and treatment on the job through her host community organization, Casa de Maryland. She worked alongside other organizers to help the group of women fight successfully for legislation that offers domestic workers unprecedented protections in Montgomery County, Md. She came to her internship wanting the opportunity to enforce some accountability on those who allowed the exploitation of workers; she learned how her efforts-from translating for workers, to teaching them about the rights and protections available to them, to helping empower women with tools and resources to fight for themselves-made all the difference in bringing justice to people who otherwise struggle to find their own voice. Her experience is an example of how much young people can gain-and give-through the leadership development opportunities the Center for Community Change provides. And it reminds us why we continue to fight for justice today, and work to prepare the leaders who will carry on the fight tomorrow. I thank you for your support for the Center for Community Change, and your belief in its critical work. Sincerely yours, Cecilia Muñoz Chair, Board of Directors, Center for Community Change