Meet the New Leaders

Steve Ramos, Public Allies Alum '00

Esteban Ramos served at Fresh Youth Initiatives in New York, where he created an after-school      program for 60 youth in the Washington Heights neighborhood. In addition to offering tutoring and other services, Steve mobilized the young people to rescue a food pantry that was shutting down for lack of volunteers. Steve and his youth leaders now serve food to more than 300 families each week. Their success led the youth to create a second food pantry, and to distribute more than 30,000 pounds of food each year. Steve has since been promoted to Associate Director of Fresh Youth Initiatives and has accomplished all of this while completing his undergraduate degree in Social Work from Lehman College and beginning graduate studies in Social Work at Yeshiva University.

Naisy Dolar, Public Allies Alumna

Since Public Allies, Naisy Dolar has committed her career to public life. She was appointed by Chicago Mayor, Richard M. Daley as the Commu­nity Liaison representing Chicago’s 125,000 Asian Americans; served as Assistant Director for Loyola University’s Department of Student Life and Student Diversity; and worked as a Diversity Trainer for the Anti-Defamation League. In addition to her work on boards of the Women Voters and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Naisy ran for Alderman in Chicago in 2007. Much to the political pundits’ surprise, she forced the 34-year incumbent into a run-off election and received 48% of the vote, offering the most competitive campaign the senior alderman had encountered since 1973. She continues to empower her community through the Residents Action and Advisory Committee, which she co-founded.

Paul Griffin, Public Allies Alum

While serving as a Public Ally, Paul Griffin started City at Peace, an organization now serving five US cities, Israel and South Africa. City at Peace brings together vastly diverse groups of youth for an intense year-long creative process to write and perform an original mu­sical about their lives and ideas for a better world. Over 2,200 youth have participated in City at Peace to date, writing and performing more than 60 musicals for over 100,000 audience members. City at Peace was featured in a special episode of Nightline with Ted Koppel and was the subject of an HBO documentary. 99% of City at Peace students stay in school, 91% go to college, 94% demonstrate significant cross-cultural competencies, and the average City at Peace student has a grade point average increase of .46 (on a 4.0 scale) during their year of participation.

Sarah Ballard, Public Allies Alumnae '05

Sarah Ballard is using her Public Allies experiences to develop and highlight the assets of young people in Louisville. Sarah currently develops and oversees a mentoring program in a Louisville housing project through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Her work has enabled hundreds of young people to connect with and have meaningful relationships with thoughtful and caring adult mentors. Sarah attributes much of her success to her learning and practice of the values of community participation, inclusion and collaboration. Sarah also has a special interest in using her teaching, youth development, and fine arts background to help more women claim their power through art therapy.

Alexandria Sumpter-Delves, Public Allies Alumnae '03

Alexandria changed her life through Public Allies. After working in communications in the private sector, she now oversees programming for three drop-in centers for homeless, runaway and foster care youth. Alexandria’s work touches and inspires the lives of some of society’s most marginalized young people. Her work in Manhattan, Jamaica and Far Rockaway has directly supported and nurtured over 50 youth- primarily teenagers- in moving through New York’s foster care system and building better lives. Several of the young people she’s developed are now employed by her, and many of them have become Public Allies as well. 

Lisa Peck Hernandez, Public Allies Alumnae '96 & '98

A special education teacher at St. Paul’s School, Lisa Peck Hernandez instills knowledge, self esteem and a sense of pride in her students’ heritage and community. Lisa has a natural talent for recognizing the potential in her students and has taught, mentored, and coached more than a thousand young people. She organizes cultural arts programs, tutors troubled students, instructs young adults in G.E.D. certification, and coaches a competitive dance team. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to the launch a Mexican Pride Day at her school, and she recently co-founded the Chichesto Studio of the Arts: Dance, Theatre and Art Education for kids and adults. She credits Public Allies with her teaching and management skills, and the willingness to take on challenges. 

Michael Watts, Public Allies Alum '94

As a Washington DC native, Michael Watts continues to be an ardent advocate, supporter and leader in youth development and educational reform by creating systems and opportunities to harness the talent of DC’s youth.Michael Watts attributes much of success today to the multitude of professional and personal leadership experiences, from being a part of the inaugural class of Public Allies to serving as the youngest Executive Director in Public Allies shortly after graduation, and now the Executive Director of the Children, Youth and Family Investment. Regardless of the role, Michael believes that the Public Allies values’ of diversity and building community have enabled him to create solutions across systems to benefit DC youth of all ages – from birth through high school.

 

 

  

 

"I owe Public Allies for where I am today. Public Allies helped strengthen and inform my ideas and thoughts about social justice and become articulate about the issue."

 

 

 

 

"I know how to use my community assets and build collaborations. They are tools that I use over and over throughout my work."

 

 

 

"We have young people who never wanted to go to school, now going to college. We even have them applying to Public Allies."

 

 

 

 

"Public Allies got me back on track with social change and activism. Eagle Rock exposed me to the power teaching has on young people."

 

 

 

 

 

 "I want to ensure that the success rate for youth in the foster care system is much higher."

 

 

 

 

 "Education in the arts is absolutely vital for both children and adults—not just to promote cultural literacy, but to bolster self-esteem, confidence, teamwork, and a healthy outlet for creative expression."

 

 

 

 

"Public Allies allowed me to take my community activism and practice it in a deeper way."

 

 

 

  

 

"My Public Allies experience convinced me that everyone can be a leader and that we can use power in a way that doesn’t dominate, but actually brings people together."