The applications for Cohort 17 are now OPEN! Deadline to submit applications is Dec. 13th, 2019
Leadership Academy sessions will take place in San Gabriel Valley and
Los Angeles on the following days. Participants will be expected to
attend all sessions. Attendance of 80% (9 out of the 12) classes and completion
of a community project are required , in order to receive a $500 award
of completion of the academy. Participants will be given advanced
notice of any changes to the session schedule and locations. Below are
dates and pending locations for this cohort.
Leadership Academy sessions:
Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020: Orientation ( 8 – 3:00pm)
Wed, Jan. 22 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, Feb. 5 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, Feb. 19 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, Feb. 29 9am – 12pm
Wed, March 4 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, March 18 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, March 28 9 – 12pm
Wed, April 1 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, April 15 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, April 25 9am – 12pm
Wed, April 29 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, May 13, 2020: Graduation (6 pm-8:30pm)
Winter – Spring 2020 Cohort 17 dates will be as follows. Locations
are still pending and will be confirmed along with acceptance into the
program. If you will be able to participate in the dates mentioned above
and interested in applying, please APPLY BELOW
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Araceli at Araceli@lanatureforall.org
To find, educate, develop and encourage environmental stewards to care for our public lands and to advocate for the protection and enhancement of our mountains, forests, rivers, parks, and urban open spaces.
Our Work
The Leadership Academy is a long term training program that focuses on developing organizing and advocacy skills, civic engagement, and local community action. Established in 2011, the Leadership Academy has thus far, graduated 16 cohorts and a total of 195 individuals. This hands-on training program is focused in low- income and underserved communities, in order to develop diverse environmental leaders. Our curriculum combines direct experience from coalition members and partners on a variety of topics, including direct advocacy, power analysis, public speaking, community organizing and other related topics. Throughout the academy, participants establish relationships among coalition members, partners, and other current environmental leaders, who then support participants through direct mentorship, employment, volunteering, and networking opportunities. Through the academy, participants will be invited to apply for funding (upto $1000) to create a project that furthers our mission to Protect, Create and Connect. Thus far, over 90 community projects have been completed through the leadership academy, and a hand full of these projects continue to be hosted by graduates today. These projects include river restoration projects, Art restoration and improvement projects, ongoing hikes in low income and underserved communities, and many more. Upon completion of the training and an engaging community project, participants are stipend $500 for their participation.
Winter/Spring 2020 Leadership Academy
The applications for Cohort 17 are now OPEN! Deadline to submit applications is Dec. 13th, 2019
Leadership Academy sessions will take place in San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles on the following days. Participants will be expected to attend all sessions. Attendance of 80% (9 out of the 12) classes and completion of a community project are required , in order to receive a $500 award of completion of the academy. Participants will be given advanced notice of any changes to the session schedule and locations. Below are dates and pending locations for this cohort.
Leadership Academy sessions:
Sunday, Jan. 12: Orientation ( 8 – 3:00pm)
Wed, Jan. 22 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, Feb. 5 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, Feb. 19 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, Feb. 29 9am – 12pm
Wed, March 4 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, March 18 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, March 28 9 – 12pm
Wed, April 1 5:30 – 8:30pm
Wed, April 15 5:30 – 8:30pm
Sat, April 25 9am – 12pm
Wed, April 29 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, May 13: Graduation (6 pm-8:30pm)
Winter – Spring 2020 Cohort 17 dates will be as follows. Locations are still pending and will be confirmed along with acceptance into the program. If you will be able to participate in the dates mentioned above and interested in applying, please APPLY BELOW:
For more information and pictures on the last two cohorts please visit the Leadership Academy Page or email Araceli@lanatureforall.org if you have questions.
Now enrolling: our new Nature for All Leadership Development Course, a free 4-class mini-series for San Gabriel Valley residents.
Do you want more parks and nature in your community?
Learn about: -Parks and water opportunities coming to your neighborhood — be part of the decision-making process -What you can do to bring healthy, nature-based benefits to your community -How to use your voice & create change in underrepresented communities -How to advocate for local parks, public lands, water resilience, equity & access -Civic engagement, how government works, who represents you, community organizing, public speaking -Tour of San Gabriel Mountains, watershed & parks -We provide class meals, and certificate of graduation upon completing the course!
Nov. 12, 19 and Dec. 3, 2019: 3 Tuesday night classes 6-9 pm Dec. 7, 2019: Saturday tour of the San Gabriel Mountains, River and parks 8 am-3 pm
Location: El Monte Aquatic Center, Room D (2nd floor). 11001 Mildred St. El Monte, CA 91731
Thank you to our partner: City of El Monte Parks and Recreation Division!
Limited space! Register ASAP by Nov. 10 through the button above.
We are super excited to announce the start of Cohort 16!
Orientation took place on Sunday, July, 21. The orientation started at Rio Vista Park where we discussed and highlighted our coalition’s work. We then took a trip to Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center to discuss land acknowledgment and Native tribes that lived and traded in the Angeles National Forest, the work we have done in the Forest, and some of our local initiatives. Learn more about Cohort 16 by reading their bios.
To find, educate, develop and encourage environmental stewards to care for our public lands and to advocate for the protection and enhancement of our mountains, forests, rivers, parks, and urban open spaces.
Our Work
The Leadership Academy is a five-month training program of Nature For All that focuses on developing organizing and advocacy skills, civic engagement, and local community action.
Our Progress
Since 2011, the Leadership Academy has graduated 15 cohorts and a total of 165 individuals.
Leadership Academy Projects: Academy graduates have successfully executed 60+ community engagement projects around Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, and in the San Fernando Valley. Projects have included leading educational bike tours of the watershed area; organizing community workshops to raise awareness on protecting public lands among park-poor communities; and painting trash receptacles along the West and East forks of the San Gabriel River.
LOS ANGELES, CA — We are extremely pleased to announce the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act was considered in a key hearing in the United States House of Representatives. The historic legislation, introduced in April by Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Judy Chu, will protect wild lands, open space and rivers and improve recreation opportunities in Los Angeles County. Stretching from Santa Clarita to San Bernardino, these open space resources, particularly the San Gabriel Mountains, are the recreational “backyard” for more than 17 million Southern Californians.
“Since the designation of the National Monument, we’ve seen our rivers cleaned up, our picnic areas cleared of trash, increased access to trails that are safer and better marked, more rangers interacting with visitors, and most importantly, our entire community at the table developing the management plan for our San Gabriel Mountains,” said Congresswoman Chu. “Building on that success through the San Gabriel Mountains Foothill and Rivers Protection Act will mean more Angelenos – many of whom are among those with the least access to parks in the country – will be able to experience these rivers, forests, mountains, and trails in a safe and sustainable way that supports our entire area.”
This is a historic progress in the effort to protect and restore the best remaining parts of our public lands in the Los Angeles region. The legislation will:
Expands the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument by adding approximately 109,143 acres in the upper Los Angeles River watershed;
Establishes the San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation Area for the San Gabriel and San Jose Foothills and the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers comprised of over 51,000 acres;
Expands Wilderness area designations within the San Gabriel Mountains by 31,069 acres; and
Designates 45.5 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) in the San Gabriel Mountains
With the Committee Hearing, Representative Chu has put us one step closer to implementing our vision, which is that everyone in the Los Angeles area – no matter where they live – has equitable access to the wide range of benefits that nature can provide.
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About Nature for All
Nature for All, formerly known as San Gabriel Mountains Forever, is a coalition of 11 organizations working to build a diverse base of support for ensuring that Nature for All is best known as the leading community group that built support for the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014. For more than a decade, Nature for All has been advocating for policies and programs to protect the mountains, rivers and parks in our area, create more natural spaces, and connect people to public lands. We bring together local, state and national organizations to develop leaders who advocate for policies and programs to positively impact our historically-underserved communities.
Nature for All’s mission is to build a diverse base of
support to ensure that everyone in the Los Angeles area has equitable access to
the wide range of benefits which nature provides. We’re committed to building
support to protect, create access to our forests, rivers, and parks, and developing
a new diverse generation of environmental leaders and stewards who connect to
and care for our public lands.
As you’ll see throughout our report, 2018 has been a banner
year for Nature for All. We celebrated numerous achievements and milestones,
including tremendous policy wins, such as the Safe Clean Water Program and the development
of equitable grant guidelines for Measure A; finalized the SGM Mountains
Monument Plan; completed the Metro Transit to Parks Plan; established a new
office in a central SGV location; filed Articles of Incorporation with four
committed advisory board members; and launched our Community Leadership
Development Program.
With more than a decade of experience, Nature for All has coordinated
efforts among a diverse array of organizations and constituencies to restore
and protect the San Gabriel Mountains and watershed. We partner with local,
state, and national agencies to fund and coordinate policy initiatives, ongoing
sustainability programming, and on-the-ground community projects that recognize
the region’s diverse and rich natural, historical, and cultural heritage.
Because of your continued support, all of this has been possible
for Nature for All. As we work with tireless passion over the next year, we
invite you to join us!
