Dear Friend, 

I am excited to share with you the work we’ve done in recent months. Since my last update, we’ve been awarded a major grant, continued our in-classroom work across the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) to support students through the financial aid process, and welcomed new staff and board members. Keep reading to learn more about our recent accomplishments and what we’ve been up to. Plus, don’t miss an opportunity to learn about Richmond Promise alum Mahi Taban’s journey as she prepares to finish law school and how the Richmond Promise Mentor Program helped her get there.

We have been awarded a Richmond Fund for Children and Youth Grant 

The Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) has awarded Richmond Promise a three-year grant totaling more than $655,000 to support our critical work with first-year students at Contra Costa College (CCC). In partnership with CCC’s First Year Experience Program, Richmond Promise is expanding retention support services, including enrollment support, academic and wellness coaching, digital access, and financial aid support. These programs help students matriculate to community college, gain a sense of belonging in higher education, and ultimately earn their A.A. or transfer to a four-year institution within three years.
 
Financial aid support for high school seniors

The past few months have been a critical time for high school seniors in Richmond as they decide where to attend college or pursue certificate programs. Many students find the financial aid process intimidating, so we work to ensure that our incoming Richmond Promise Scholars are prepared to navigate every step of the college application process. To support them, our Director of Programs and Partnerships Miguel Molina and College Access Coordinator Celina Espinoza have hosted or participated in nearly 60 higher education preparatory events since January, including in-class financial aid workshops, Richmond Promise Scholarship workshops, Cash for College workshops, and education fairs. With financial aid and scholarship applications now complete, we look forward to supporting students in the exciting next steps leading up to their higher education journeys. 

Meet our new staff

I'm thrilled to share that our team welcomed a new career services manager, Leo Visscher, to Richmond Promise in early March. In his role, Leo will help lead the design and implementation of our Alumni Association, and he will also spearhead our new career accelerator program, RP Leads. Leo brings a wealth of experience as he previously served as Talent Partner at Adobe and Associate Director of Career Services at UC Berkeley. We look forward to the impact he will have as he helps Scholars gain career track employment after earning their degrees and certifications. 

Richmond Promise also welcomed a new development coordinator, Andrea Ponce Mata, who joined us in February. Andrea will work closely with our director of development to draft grant proposals and reports, organize fundraising events, and build connections with current and future donors. A Richmond Promise alumna, Andrea previously worked with Richmond Promise as a Near-Peer Ambassador and most recently interned for the City of Richmond Mayor’s office, where she conducted legal research and drafted memorandums. She plans to bring along the same curiosity and eagerness to learn to her new role. 

Meet our new board members

In addition to new staff, we are pleased to share that two new board members joined our Board of Directors in February. We welcome WCCUSD’s Interim Superintendent Kim Moses, whose appointment carries on our tradition of inviting the present superintendent to serve on our Board. Dr. Moses is a Kennedy High School graduate who grew up attending WCCUSD schools, and she is a longtime advocate for Richmond students. Her experience as an educator and commitment to our community will be a fantastic addition to the RP Board.

We also welcome Jessica Rodriguez, a project leader at Boston Consulting Group who previously worked at Richmond Promise from 2016 to 2020. As Richmond Promise’s second-ever employee, Jessica brings in-depth knowledge about our organization that we’re excited to incorporate onto our Board. Jessica is a Bay Area native who earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in 2015 and an MBA from UCLA in 2022.

Show Your Support For Richmond Promise

As we look toward the future, we need your help to continue this important work. Your donation allows us to expand our reach and enhance our programs, making a significant difference in the lives of countless students. Together, we can break down barriers and create pathways to success for all students in our community.

Consider giving today at richmondpromise.org/give.

Thank you,
Chris Whitmore
Executive Director, Richmond Promise