MEET OUR NEWARK PROGRAM MANAGER, LUISA CARIDAD (she/her)

We are excited to highlight the incredible talent and dedication of our team at Sadie Nash Leadership Project. Our investment in staff is at the core of what makes us the organization we aspire to be. For the next installment of our staff interview series, we were lucky enough to sit and chat with our Newark Program Manager, Luisa Caridad (she/her).

Luisa Caridad (she/her) is a dedicated Program Manager specializing in youth mentorship, leadership development, and inclusive programming. Passionate about empowering young people to find their voice, she fosters environments where they can grow into confident, engaged leaders. Originally from Boston, she has made New Jersey her home and appreciates its diverse and welcoming community. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending quality time with her family.

“To see parents be so excited because they actually understand the materials and don’t need support from their husbands, or sisters, or children for translation was everything. ”

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Luisa Caridad. I’m originally from the Dominican Republic though I was raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Since then I’ve lived in Rhode Island and Ithaca, NY, before settling down here in New Jersey. I actually went to school for fashion merchandising and retail marketing. I ended up working in that industry for around three years, but it was not fulfilling me on a personal level. It was fun and I liked it, but I didn’t feel like I was doing something with substance.

I grew up volunteering with my mom. Even though we were really young she would insist on us getting tasks to do. My mom really instilled the value of community care and giving back to the community in us. 

In college, I volunteered for a girls group after school, and I loved it. So much so that I was like… oh my god I think I want to be a teacher. But that’s not helpful when you only have one semester left! So I did finish with my fashion degree, but I already knew that wasn’t going to be the industry for me in the long run. 

When I went to Boston after college, I had a friend who worked at Big Sister Boston. There was an opportunity there, and my friend knew I would thrive there. They said,  “You’ve gotta do it! You’d be working with kids, in the community, with schools. Everything that you continue to talk about!” And then, I became an enrollment and matching specialist. 

After a year at Big Sister I became the manager of enrollment and matching and I was able to do a lot of cool stuff with them. I co-chaired and co-founded SLaCC, Spanish Language and Culture Committee. It was a committee where we translated program documents into spanish, supported non spanish speaking staff and celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month . We served a large spanish-speaking audience that were not able to decipher our materials and were facing hurdles because of the lack of spanish speakers on our team. My colleague and I knew we had to translate these documents and make the materials more accessible. We also were able to support colleagues with translations, events, and staff training. 

To see parents be so excited because they actually understand the materials and don’t need support from their husbands, or sisters, or children for translation was everything. Those moments were so important to me because when I was little my best friend had a big sister through the same organization, and I’ll always remember asking my mom for a big sister too. My mom was skeptical and at the time she did not speak english. So there were a few things that were preventing her from understanding the program because information was not being disseminated to spanish-speaking communities. 

“When we talk about leadership at Sadie Nash, we’re not only talking about the Nashers, but also the facilitators, the coordinators, the deans, and myself!”

What brought you to Sadie Nash Leadership Project? And can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I moved to New Jersey to settle down with my fiance, and when I was looking for a job opportunity, I knew it needed to be community based. I wanted a role, where after a particularly long day, I would still feel rejuvenated because this is the work I want to do and is important. I wanted to be in an organization that had similar values to me. Sadie Nash is what I was looking for - it’s youth based, it’s community based, they believe in liberation, they believe in social justice, they believe in empowering young black women and gender-expansive youth. I may have had to compromise some things for other organizations I was looking at, but with Sadie Nash there is just such good alignment.

As the Newark Program Manager, I develop curriculums with our Newark Coordinator, Myia Graham (they/them), to facilitate different programs like Siblinghood Academy and Summer Institute. When we talk about leadership at Sadie Nash, we’re not only talking about the Nashers, but also the facilitators, the coordinators, the deans, and myself! It’s so impactful when Nashers are able to see folks that look like them in these leadership roles. A lot of the time, in non-profits, folks that do not look like us are at the helm, so to find an organization that celebrates that and provides opportunities to black young folks is really important to me. 

A lot of people put young people in boxes just based on their age. There are a lot of young people that don’t feel heard at home because they’re dismissed as “children.” They are living through this turbulent political time and Sadie Nash opens up the doors for them to question these things, whereas they may not have that space at school or at home. Nashers come in with all types of comments, questions and curiosities. So to provide a space that’s as safe as it can be is really important to me as a Program Manager, to see the impact of the trust that’s built through the Nashers in this program. 

“It’s okay if you take time to get back up and have empathy for yourself, because sometimes we are not afforded that empathy out in the world. ”

Happy Black History and Black Futures month! What does Black Youth Leadership mean to you? And why is it important?

Black youth leadership is about reclaiming power. It’s about being able to shape your own narrative, being able to challenge dominant narratives, being able to advocate for yourself, and being able to use your own voice. These are all necessary for Black youth to build leadership skills. We need a future where their voices are amplified, where people recognize the contributions they make to making communities better. We talk about a lot of movements of folks fighting the power and not accepting the status quo, but we forget to amplify the Black voices that did that, and leave out the Black folks who were fighting to make the world a better place. It’s said very quietly.

We need to amplify those voices and movements, and allow Black youth to show up as who they are, support them in rejecting the tightly kept boxes that society wants to keep them in. We have to invest in their leadership to give them tools to address what’s going on in their communities. It’s important to ensure that the future is shaped by folks who have that lived experience and aren’t scared to call out injustices. Black folks are often really vocal in calling out injustices, but don’t get the same credit. So the marathon continues regardless of how much visibility you’re getting because you have to do the work for your community. 

Black youth leaders need more programs that invest in them and reaffirm what they’re doing is important, but they also need programs that support them to take care of themselves and be gentle with themselves. It’s okay if you take time to get back up and have empathy for yourself, because sometimes we are not afforded that empathy out in the world. 

“I love that there is a program where folks are being paid for participating and being paid to learn about feminism, learn about liberation, and be able to question how they are showing up in their lives.”

Our Summer Institute applications are now live. What are you most excited about regarding this summer?

I’m so excited to see young folks just BE. Have no school duties on their backs. I just want to see some Black joy! I’m excited about the electives. I’ve seen some sneak previews of the topics. I’m excited to hear laughter and I’m excited to see the gears in their mind shift as they ask questions. 

Something that really stands out to me about Summer Institute is that it’s a summer program where young people get paid for their time. I love that there is a program where folks are being paid for participating and being paid to learn about feminism, learn about liberation, and be able to question how they are showing up in their lives.

“To best support young people we need to be in tune with who they are, where they want to go, where they’re at now. ”

What do young people need to thrive?

Young people need affirmations that it’s okay to be who you are. They need opportunities to be presented to them. They need access to those opportunities and information.

Folks also need to be in spaces that are inclusive, in spaces that value young people’s voices, that allow young people to speak in the first draft. They may not have it all together but they should be able to share how they’re feeling now. They need places that really honor their lived experiences that are going to foster and care about what their passions are, and help them figure out what they want to do next. 

Young people need mentors, they need to be able to see people like them. I saw this other Black lady do that! I can be a program manager at Sadie Nash! They need opportunities to see folks that look like them thriving. They need guidance for the different pathways they can take after high school. To best support young people we need to be in tune with who they are, where they want to go, where they’re at now. 

“When I think about Sadie Nash, I think about community, I think about folks you can rely on, folks who are there to listen. The transformative leadership. The transformative programs.”

When you think of the Sadie Nash community, what comes to mind?

Liberation. The liberty to be who you are, whether you are a staff member or a young person. When I think about Sadie Nash, I think about community, I think about folks you can rely on, folks who are there to listen. The transformative leadership. The transformative programs. Being able to participate in one program and get this wealth of knowledge that folks are then able to share with other folks. There are so many Nashers who complete every program we offer and when folks learn about the community they want to soak up every opportunity.  

We’re meeting that constant need that people have to connect with other people with common values. People want so much more than what we currently have capacity for and I think that’s amazing! I think about how many folks who were Nashers that are now staff and board members, and they’re donating and coming to events. It’s amazing, everyone is so connected.