Over the past 40 years, programming at Leadership Austin has evolved to meet the changing needs of our growing region. The Emerge program is a good example of this evolution. In order to fulfill our mission of developing a pipeline of leaders, we recognized the need to reach that next generation early in their careers. Now in its 13th year, Emerge is building a record of success doing just that.
Two decades ago, we tested a pilot program to reach young leaders in high school. The model was not sustainable for Leadership Austin and the program was discontinued, but it did have an impact on the teenagers who participated. Today we hear from Ricardo Zavala, Founder and President of Dove Springs Proud, about his experience in Teen Leadership Austin.
Ricardo (fourth from left) in his first leadership role in 1998, as Founder and President of Cambio student club at LBJ High School
“In 1998, I was a high school senior at LBJ and was selected to be one of the inaugural class members of Teen Leadership Austin. Little did I know it would set a foundation for leadership skills and impact for 15 years in the Austin area. Back then, each high school had representatives in the class. We met once a month, attended leadership workshops, and talked about issues concerning teens for one entire school year. We had an opening retreat and a closing one in which we spent the night with our fellow cohorts. It was a wonderful experience to meet and hang out with teen leaders across the city from diverse backgrounds to learn I was not alone in aspiring to make a positive change.
“Our leaders Christopher Kennedy, Paul Hilgers, and Cookie Ruiz were essential to making the class a success. Each of the leadership roles I have held were founded on my training in Teen Leadership Austin. Thank you so much to Leadership Austin for their belief in me, for investing in a young born-and-raised Austin teen, and for bringing me back as a speaker for the Essential 2020 class on civic engagement.”
Ricardo speaking at the Essential 2020 Demographics and Civic Engagement class day in October 2019.
Since graduating from Teen Leadership Austin, Ricardo has become a leading advocate for young people in Austin, especially those from his home neighborhood of Dove Springs. His (still growing) list of achievements includes:
Nationally-Certified Community Leader through NeighborWorks America
Founder/President of Cambio student club at LBJ High School
Founder/President of Hombres Unidos student organization at Texas State University
Founder/President of Dove Springs Proud civic group
Chair of East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Contact Team Education Committee
Political/Education Committee Chair of Austin Area Urban League Young Professionals
Chair of Friends of the Mexican American Cultural Center
Vice President of East Austin College Prep Academy School Board
Chair of Texas Young Democrats Minority Caucus
President of Association of Mexican American Students at Texas State University
Chair of the Community Development Commission Subcommittee on Gentrification
Co-Chair of Campus Advisory Council for Widen Elementary School
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Ricardo – and congratulations on your continued success! Learn more about Ricardo and connect with him to follow his work.
Leadership Austin is still exploring new programs to fill leadership gaps in our community. We are in the second year of the Fellows pilot program, which engages semi-retired and retired business and community leaders to build nonprofit capacity. Got a great idea? We’d love to hear it!
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