John Peck
A coach for the Grassroots Leadership College during our 2003 pilot semester, John continues to serve the community as the director of Family Farm Defenders. He is also a member of the Rainbow Books Cooperative, the Madison Infoshop, Wisconsin Books to Prisoners, AFT, the IWW, and contributor to countless other groups.  Here’s what one of his colleagues said to describe John. 

“I feel like John is an under-appreciated MEGA-resource here in Madison. His work has influenced countless struggles from local to global, and he serves as a sort of living encyclopedia for who-to-talk-to-about-what in Madison, Wisconsin, and beyond. He's been recognized worldwide as a leader in the food sovereignty movement, due to his work with Family Farm Defenders… I think John must be part robot, because there's no way one person could do so much good work AND find time to sleep and raise healthy backyard chickens!”

Rosario Angulo
Rosario Angulo took her early steps towards becoming a leader in Madison as a participant in el Programa de Liderazgo, a semester program that the GLC ran for the Spanish speaking community.  Today, Rosario is an important force in Madison’s Latino community, co-facilitating a Platica project through Formando Lazos, working on the Allianza Latina program, and working to educate teens and their parents.  Here’s what one of her colleagues had to say:

“Rosario has become a real leader and an advocate in the Latino Community. She is a person that never says no, when it comes to helping another person in need. Rosario is always willing to volunteer and work hard to get things done. I very strongly believe that Rosario has made a difference in the life of many Latinos in Wisconsin.”

Cynthia Lin
Involved in the Grassroots Leadership College both as a semester participant and one of the organizers of our Spanish language programming, Cynthia Lin works as a social justice coordinator with the Multi-cultural Student Center at the UW.  She also contributes her time and talent to Operation Welcome Home, Freedom Inc, WORT, and many other organizations.  Cynthia’s colleague tells us:

“Cynthia Lin continues to be a powerful visionary and proactive organizer of a rich array of thoughtfully-engaging capacity-building learning, networking and community organizing opportunities and events. Her social justice-grounded initiatives offer generative boundary-spanning resources for knowledge development and engagement within and across diversity and power/privilege divides. She has been a valuable gift to the University of Wisconsin and the larger Madison community…”

Cynthia was not able to join us today because of prior commitments in her social justice work.  Still we congratulate her.

Z Haukeness
Z Haukeness, another developing leader graduate from our semester program, lives a life committed to ending oppression.  Z is involved in many organizations including Freedom Inc, Take Back the Land, and Ground Work.  Here’s how one person describes Z’s work:

“Z seems to organize in the most righteous, but rarely the easiest places. I would say Z challenges everybody to re-examine their assumptions, but challenge would not be the right word, because Z is never violent in what per does. Choosing to organize against race and classism in Madison isn't easy work, but add defying gender to this and Z is one of the bravest people I know. Taking Back the Land, empowering Hmong Women, and fighting for everyone to have a home are all causes that Z organizes around in this town, and the town is better for it.”

Chris Moore-Barbosa
Chris Moore-Barbosa has been involved with the GLC as a participant in our workshops.  She works for the community as a part of Dane County Human Services.  She also volunteers with Girl and Boy Scouts, in her church, as a pro-bono consultant, and for environmental causes to name a few.  To quote some words about Chris:

“She is committed to improving the community in which we live in every way. She volunteers for environmental concerns. She volunteers with the Girl and Boy Scouts. She volunteers within our church. She sends job leads to unemployed friends. She helps out with our children's schools. She cares about and prays for her clients, delinquent youth and their families in our county. Any knowledge she gains she shares with them.”

Donna Asif 
Donna Asif came to the Grassroots Leadership College as a coach and stayed, holding the record for the person who has coached the most times! Her experience in the GLC gave her the opportunity to get to know several homeless classmates.  Inspired, she went on to create the Homelessness Dialogues.  From there she’s taken the lead on efforts to provide homeless people with not only clothing, shower facilities, and a place to do their laundry, but with dignity and a hand getting back on their feet.  A colleague says:

“Donna had a burning vision for building and sustaining *community* among "neighbors" defined as persons who walk the streets together, whether currently with or without housing: a very different, more socially-just framing of Homelessness initiatives. Donna's passionate commitment, respectful resourcefulness and boundless energy have cultivated and sustained a *grace space* where all voices can be heard in full… It has been a joy to work with her!”

Lydia Maurer
Lydia Maurer came to the GLC as a developing leader, while just starting to get involved in the Berkeley Oaks Neighborhood.  She quickly became a force on Madison’s Northside as an active leader in her neighborhood and with the Northside Planning Council, as well as in her church, school, and many other groups.  Lydia’s colleagues  say of her:

Lydia is natural leader, someone that comes along and inspires, as well as influences projects to be better. Lydia attended a BONA meeting at my house about 5 or 6 years ago. She became a leader right away. I coached her at the GLC, but I learned much more from her during that session. Since then Lydia has done so many things in the community, I have lost track.