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HOPE Project Leader Spotlight: Eliezer Mendoza, Built Environment Action Team (BEAT) Co-Chair
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Eliezer Mendoza, BEAT Co-Chair
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This month, we would like to recognize Eliezer Mendoza for his contributions to our collaborative.
Eliezer was introduced to HOPE Collaborative by a collaborative member and high school internship through the Rose Foundation two years ago. He learned about one of HOPE's programs to beautify Oakland neighborhoods by working with community residents and other stakeholders. He looked forward to joining HOPE mainly because HOPE focused on improving his neighborhood in East Oakland and he wanted to be a part of that process. Eliezer has been an active participant in HOPE as a Youth Action Board (YAB) member and in HOPE's built environment work. Currently, Eliezer is a Co-Chair for the BEAT.
As a BEAT Co-Chair, Eliezer is responsible for many projects including, but not limited to supporting partner organizations, mapping, and creating strong relationships with neighborhood residents. Eliezer has developed and strengthened his social, outreach, and communication skills since working with the collaborative.
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HOPE Welcomes a New Addition to Our Team
 | Ang Hadwin, HOPE Project Associate
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HOPE Collaborative is excited to announce and introduce a new member to our staff - Angela (Ang) Hadwin.
Ang has over 13 years of experience working as an educator and organizer to promote healthy communities from the Bronx to Oakland. Her past work spans environmental justice organizing in the South Bronx, developing garden-based education programs, and leveraging city resources to build community gardens.
She recently pursued a degree in urban planning in order to better understand how to include community voices in local policy making processes. Prior to joining HOPE, she completed a one-year fellowship at ChangeLab Solutions where she researched innovative planning strategies to address health disparities from corner store conversion programs and zoning for urban agriculture to joint use agreements and school wellness policies. She holds a Master of City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an AB in Biology & Environmental Science from Bryn Mawr College.
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Youth Action Board Mixer
The Youth Action Board (YAB) hosted a "youth mixer " for young people on Thursday, August 22, 2013 at Tassaforanga Recreation Center in East Oakland. Youth from across Oakland convened to talk about their health and the future health of Oakland using their research question, "What health issues are East Oakland youth aware of that will affect them in adulthood," to conduct a youth focus group. Focus group participants said the high number of fast food restaurants, liquor stores and poor conditions of the physical environment in East Oakland had negative impacts on their future health.
Some solutions expressed by participants were cleaner and greener physical community, increasing affordable and healthy foods at existing stores, and limiting the number of fast food restaurants in the community. Findings from this focus group and future surveys will inform a future action project that builds upon past projects of the YAB.
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