Leslye Lugo

Peer Leader, School of the Arts

Alumni Intern, Balboa High School

Program Coordinator, Marina Middle School

"If you go anywhere in San Francisco with Leslye--and I do mean anywhere--she runs into a former student. Instantly, their face lights up and the two of them talk about their plans, their dreams, their family and how Leslye might help. Generally Leslye has a small piece of advice for them and a ton of love. Leslye is a pillar in the community. She is grace under pressure and the calmest person I know which helps others to feel safe and to take risks. From the time she was in Peer Resources as a high school student through her time as an Alumni with Peers, from her role as an After-School Coordinator for Peers and then the YMCA at Marina Middle School, to her role as Alumni Engagement Coordinator and now, REP SF Coordinator, Leslye has remained a living embodiment of Peers' mission and values. As a boss at the after-school Marina program, she often hired folks whose heart and passion for working alongside other youth of color more practiced than their "job readiness" skills, especially in such a white supremacist system such as a public schooling setting. Leslye offered them the support they needed to grow and face the challenges of coming to do this work within its current structure. Leslye is truly an educator leader and a critically conscientious participant in the school-to-liberation pipeline, helping folks envision and get towards where they want to go and feeling a sense of belonging along the way."

Leslye Lugo was a Peer Leader at SOTA, was hired as one of the organization's first Alumni Interns at Balboa High School, and then coordinated the after-school Peer Resources program at Marina Middle School. She was the Site Coordinator and Summer Camp Director of the YMCA Marina Middle School program for three years, before leading Peer Resources' new Alumni Engagement work, bringing together thousands of alumni through social media, newsletters, fundraisers and Peer Resources events. Starting in 2019, she is leading the new Rising Educator Pathway San Francisco (REP SF) Program, training and support San Francisco Unified School District alumni of color and current youth development workers to be the future educators our system needs and our young people deserve.

"One of my favorite memories that I hold dear to my heart from 15 years of doing youth work is one summer day that I had at our summer program, Peace Camp. It was an exceptionally hot day and students were not engaging in their classes as much as they usually do. My junior counselors approached me to say that all the campers were really hot and we should abandon classes for the afternoon to do something as a community. I had parent meetings coming up so I couldn't sit with them to plan an alternative day. They looked at me and said, we got it Leslye. Once lunch was over I was approached by the junior counselors with a timeline and plan for the afternoon. I reviewed it and was going to ask the adult counselors if they wanted to do the junior counselors plan. They had already been talked to and they knew exactly what the rest of the day was going to look like.

"The most incredible piece of that day was the learning I did. Yes, their event was successful. Yes, it was organized. Yes, they all self assigned positions to make sure all campers were safe. Yes, to all those things and more! But the piece that I learned and forever sits with me is what happens when you expect that very best from young people. These 6 junior counselors ages 14-15 knew, not believed, but knew they could do this, they had no ounce of doubt--at all! And I learned that day that I knew it too.

"We do young people a disservice when we do not believe in them. We do a disservice to them when we do not show and prove to them that they are capable. I believe if we spent time listening and building with them, they are ready to make this world better."

Leslye Lugo