Tag: Camille Llanes-Fontanilla

Somos Mayfair leaving no child behind in the Silicon Valley

Lilian Lopez Peña told us about the organization Somos Mayfair on our Wise Latinas Linked Facebook page.  The nonprofit is setting the tone in the Silicon Valley by making sure every child has an opportunity to push forward. 

LEAVING NO CHILD BEHIND IN THE SILICON VALLEY

graciasalavida
Photo by Lilian Lopez Peña

Grassroots efforts – this was evident at the 8th Annual ‪#‎GraciasALaVida‬ celebration of Somos Mayfair in San Jose yesterday. Pictured to the left is Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, the Executive Director, an agent of change and a sister in the movement.

Unbeknownst to most, there is a large Latino population in Silicon Valley this organization serves, to give a voice to otherwise hidden social inequality. Camille, along with hundreds of Latino leaders and many other professionals in the country’s mega-tech hub, came together to recommit to the cause of serving our under-privileged and to propel our children forward.

We tilted Silicon Valley yesterday, with the weight and power of our ‪#‎Latino‬ community. Under one roof, there were many social influencers.

I had the opportunity to meet former San Jose Mayor, Ron Gonzales (now President and CEO of the Hispanic Foundation of SV), a major supporter of education and literacy among our community.

The Alum Rock Union School Superintendent, Hilaria Bauer, made a special announcement: “Partnership accelerates change and it must start early – Somos Mayfair, Headstart, First 5, the Santa Clara County Office of Education and many more partner organizations, along with Alum Rock Union School District will offer universal pre-school services.”

Here is a clip of Camille as posted to Twitter by my news organization, ABC7 News Bay Area. As part of my work here and with the SF Latino Community Foundation, I suggested Somos Mayfair as an organization to receive hundreds of Disney ‪#‎MagicOfStoryTelling‬ books through First Book – they are on track for their new Disney book shipment in May/June.

 

I am also working on news coverage of the presentation. When I walked into the venue yesterday, Camille and staff had placed a book on every chair, which each attendee then placed into a book bin as a symbolic action of our commitment to literacy among our children. I knew I was in the right place, in the right space, in a room filled with amazing grace.

Post by Lilian Lopez Peña

Somos Mayfair > Website