11 Warren and Youngstown emerging leaders begin Wean Foundation leadership program

Staff report

WARREN

Eleven Warren and Youngstown residents began a 12-week program in March designed to cultivate local leaders through the Raymond John Wean Foundation’s second-year Neighborhood Success 2.0 program.

“I wanted to gain confidence in my abilities to advocate and then apply this knowledge to support young families in the community,” said Mary Smith of Warren, one of this year’s emerging leaders.

The others are Sheila Brantley, Youngstown; Shaq Jones, Youngstown; Roger Matlock, Warren; Latoshia Miles, Youngstown; William Phinisee, Warren; Rikki Queener, Youngstown; Thomas M. Smith, Warren; Donna M. Thomas, Youngstown; Tara Walker-Pollock, Youngstown; and La Kita Williams, Warren.

The group completed orientation and an overnight retreat in March and will continue training through May, exploring asset-based community development, conflict management and negotiation, race and class dynamics and community organization.

The members will showcase their work, share lessons learned and celebrate their leadership journey with community stakeholders at a celebration in June.

The Raymond John Wean Foundation was created in 1949 and has awarded more than $100 million in grants to a broad variety of nonprofit organizations with a goal of empowering residents to create a healthy, vibrant, equitable and economically stable Mahoning Valley.