Rizal Center is excited to announce the addition of two new team members, made possible through a generous grant from the Cook County Starting Block Grant Award Program. This funding will increase its capacity to fulfill its mission of enhancing the quality of life for Filipinos and Filipino Americans in Greater Chicago through advocacy, cultural enrichment, educational support, economic development, and community-building initiatives.
Ginger Leopoldo will be serving as our Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator.
Ginger is an educator, actor, director, producer, and community organizer. She is the founding Artistic Director of the Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA), and Executive Director of CIRCA Pintig. Ginger has created youth heritage curricula with techniques that utilize a basic integrated theater arts workshop methodology as well as Activism & Art workshops, STEAM Education, and programming that support the TEAACH Act for K -12 public school educators and students. Ginger has over 20 years of experience as a teaching artist and literacy coach for public school teachers. In addition, she teaches English to students on a virtual and global platform and is an adjunct lecturer in the ESL program at the University of the Potomac. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational leadership focusing on the pedagogy of the Theatre of the Oppressed, popular education, and diaspora. She received her B.A. and M.A. in theater from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ginger is a community builder and volunteers and collaborates with many organizations sharing and developing her passion for people power. She and her family are lifetime members of the Filipino American National Historical Society of Greater Chicago and serves as a national Board Trustee for the Midwest Region. Ginger is a proud 1.75-generation Filipino American and lives in Chicago with her husband and three children.
Carla Navoa will be serving as our Fund Development Officer.
Carla is a Filipina immigrant, educator, activist, and community organizer. Carla brings over a decade of experience working in Chicago non-profit organizations in the areas of youth organizing, program development, and fundraising. Carla’s past development roles include serving as a Lisa Fittko Intern at the Crossroads Fund, Development Associate at the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center (now Hana Center), and Development Manager at the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE). Carla’s background as a high school English teacher and non-profit professional have coalesced in her work at Rizal Center. In addition to her official fundraising role, Carla is a volunteer steward of the Pamana Children’s Library and is working in collaboration with other Pinay educators to establish the Filipino School of Chicago at the center. Carla received her B.A. in English and Asian American Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago and her M.Ed in Secondary Education at DePaul University. Carla lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
“We are thrilled to welcome these talented individuals to our team,” said Jerry Clarito, Executive Director of the Rizal Center. “Their skills and expertise will be invaluable as we work to expand our services and programs to reach every Filipino American and ensure that no one is left behind. We will continue to advocate for social change, address the unique challenges faced by our community, and champion the values of unity, resilience, and compassion. This grant not only allows us to expand our capacity but also to deepen our impact in the community.”
The funding from the Cook County Justice Advisory Council is part of a broader initiative to support small organizations to build internal capacity and develop their infrastructure to promote organizational health, growth, and sustainability. With this support, Rizal Center aims to significantly strengthen its organization’s reach and impact.
“As we move forward with our new staff members and increased organizational capacity, we remain committed to our vision of being a sanctuary of support, a beacon of hope, and a vibrant hub for empowerment for the Filipino American community of greater Chicago,” Clarito concluded.
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