A Note from our Executive Director

Dear Lori,

I had so much exciting news to share with you, but my heart is breaking and my community is in pain. The brutal terrorist attacks in Israel have hit home for me personally, as I have friends and family who live there. LEAP is an organization that holds our families through times of trauma and crisis.

When our immigrant families were threatened with the fear of deportation, we stood up and responded. We initiated immigration forums, with tremendous respect and concern for the privacy and fears of our families. We did everything we could to help our community feel safe and cared for. When George Floyd was brutally murdered, we spoke out. We stood in solidarity alongside our Black families and partners, and we engaged in the work of exploring our own implicit biases. We intentionally reconsidered our classrooms and our communications with families to be more representative, inclusive, and welcoming. And we asked how we had fallen short, listened and responded.

Now, my community, the Jewish community, feels alone and under attack. I am worried about my family members and friends, and I’m glued to the news. Yet, I don’t feel alone. LEAP staff, LEAP board members, and LEAP partners have reached out to me personally to offer comfort and caring. This is what it means to do work in community, to Learn, to Engage, to Advocate, and to Partner. I am so grateful for their and your kindness. 

I do have lots of great news to share with you. Last week, we announced our 2024 LEAP honorees: Kristen Miller and Katya Armistead. 2024 is LEAP year and our LEAP awards will be on LEAP day. I hope you will join us. 

Our annual report was published and should have arrived at your home last week. If you didn’t receive it, please contact Kara Shoemaker to make sure we have your correct address. 

I’m also thrilled to share that LEAP received a Stop the Hate grant from the California Department of Social Services. We will be providing case management and resource and referral for victims of hate crimes and hate incidents. Additionally, we will be engaging in cross cultural relationship building and community education around bias and hate. All of this is work we have already been doing, without dedicated funding. This grant will enable us to prioritize the work even more thoughtfully. 

Thank you for being part of my community. By supporting LEAP, you help us build a resilient and connected community.

Lori Goodman

Executive Director