Leadership Pasadena Graduates New Class of Young Adult “Homegrown” Leaders

Aimed at filling a gap in available leadership development opportunities after high school and college graduation, Leadership Pasadena graduated its third cohort of young adult leaders through its Homegrown Leaders program in May.

Homegrown Leaders keeps local youth connected to their community and empowers them to take the next steps in their professional journeys. 

This year’s Homegrown Leader graduates include: Ryan Aceves, Diana Gurrola, Emma Hernandez, Yui Nga Li, Nehemiah Rich, Manny Shorter, Hiu Yin Tang, and Natalia Vargas.

“The post-graduation time frame is a tough one to navigate alone,” said Kaya Plansker, former executive director of Leadership Pasadena and current senior director of training & programs at Coro Southern California.

“Without resources and connections, the high expectation for success is unrealistic. We believe putting some accountability onto the community to ask how they can help is a necessary part of developing a sustainable local leadership pipeline that starts with telling our youth we care about them and want to help them succeed.”

Participants are certified as “community-informed” and “leadership-trained,” through a rigorous four-part workshop series, including two retreats, and are recognized by local government officials with completion certificates.

Components of the program include a direct mentor match with local community leaders in fields that participants are curious about, as well as a curriculum that immerses them in personal leadership development and community and civic challenges. Leadership Pasadena’s 23 year legacy of community leadership development offers a network of 350+ alumni to connect youth to new opportunities within the community.

Participants are identified through outreach to local Pasadena Unified High Schools, leadership programs, and colleges. 2023’s participants came from Marshall Fundamental High School, John Muir High School, and Pasadena City College. Past years have also included graduates from Westridge, Polytechnic, and Cal State University Northridge (CSUN) and Cal State Long Beach (CSLB).

For more information about the Homegrown Leaders program or other Leadership Pasadena initiatives, please visit www.leadershippasadena.org.