Building safe and supportive communities is as critical now as it ever was. Leadership Council SMC’s two immersive programs, Leadership CORPS and Emerging Leaders, centered on this topic during the February Learning Days.
These Learning Days focused on building an understanding of safety, especially around law enforcement and the resources and partnerships available with San Mateo County nonprofits. The agendas for each class were designed to tackle a challenging topic with sensitivity and in ways that were inclusive of all participants. Class preparation provided participants with a range of facts, data, and resources. As further foundation, participants examined personal biases around safety, and developed practices to cultivate openness to multiple perspectives and allow everyone to feel empowered to join the conversation.
Newly elected Sheriff Christina Corpus inspired both classes with her presentation of “A New Vision with a New Sheriff” during which she shared her personal journey and offered her voice of hope.
In reflection, one CORPS class member shared, “Getting to hear from our new Sheriff, her background, her experiences, and her approach to serving the community, brings hope that things can change for the better.” This sentiment was echoed by a member of the Emerging Leaders program who said, "There was a lot of positivity in the learnings today—not criticizing—but being anchored by our hearts. I feel inspired and energized after today. In addition, having the time to hear the backstories of the various leaders we met is always really inspiring."
