“We all know that the early development years are critical for youth in helping to shape their path in life and I love that Lincoln has positively impacted youth and their families lives for over 135 years.”

I have worked for Lincoln in both the West Oakland Initiative (WOI) program as an Academic Mentor, as well as Oakland Freedom Schools in the summer as a SLI (Servant Leader Intern). This summer I’m back as an OFS Site Coordinator.

June has been an important month for the LGBTQ+ community celebrating the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising as well as important Supreme Court verdicts affecting not only the LGBTQ+ community but all people. This year June has seen the intersection of the Pride and Black Lives Matter movements, opening the conversations about racial equity, civil rights, and health and well-being.

“I think people are learning more about these inequities now while we are in our current state with COVID-19 bringing education as we knew to its knees. Kids in low-income families are dealing with things like lack of access to technology and wifi (how does one learn remotely when you don’t have a computer?), lack of space to study quietly, underfunded schools, teachers who aren’t properly trained...the list goes on. As I learned more, I wanted to do more to make a difference in the world.”

I’m the Program Supervisor of Lincoln’s West Oakland Initiative (WOI) that works with students, parents, and West Oakland schools to support Social Emotional Learning and literacy gaps. At school, our focus is empowering youth, increasing literacy and parent involvement. We also built in an at-home component to support parents with home structure.

We are all experiencing deep outrage and sadness over the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many other Black lives lost. As so many of you are acutely aware, racism has always existed and is deeply rooted in America. The horrific events of the past few weeks remind us that we have a long way to go to fight for justice.

I am the Program Manager of Lincoln's Intensive Home Based Services (IHBS) program that serves children and families in Contra Costa County. As a part of the services offered to children who are impacted by the foster care and child welfare system, we get to work with amazing children with some of the most challenging stories while they are working to stabilize in their placements. Most of the children or youth in our program have been subjected to multiple placement changes in a short period of time and experienced the direct harm of being removed from their parents care. Whether in the process of reunification, living in a foster home, or being placed in a group home, these foster youth have a plethora of experiences that have made placement a challenge.

As my family ushered in the new year, I sat with my daughters to design vision boards. “2020 Vision” boldly positioned in the center of my board; short term goals, inspirational quotes to myself, dreams and aspirations, and milestones reached…that is what I envisioned. Never could I have imagined an event of this magnitude, storming onto the scene and forcing every living being to re-think life.

Dear Lincoln Champions,

I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of community as I settle into my role as CEO of Lincoln. We live in a time for many of division, isolation, and a loss of connection that provides meaning and a sense of belonging. Read about the stories of hope we see every day.

Transformative new center will impact lives and the West Oakland community

Lincoln proudly announced today the selection of Allison Staulcup Becwar as its new President & CEO effective March 1, 2019. Following an inclusive selection process involving the board, staff, and key external stakeholders, Becwar, who recently served as Lincoln’s Chief Program Officer, succeeds Christine Stoner-Mertz following her departure after 13 years of service to the organization.