Every city should have one of these: a master class that
provides a thorough training in the city itself.
Every city should have one of these: a master class that provides a thorough training in the city itself. Leadership Gilroy exists to “develop an informed group of diverse leaders who are engaged in the community to help build Gilroy’s future,” according to the group’s website.
Attending nine months of classes, students get a crash course in Gilroy’s government, social and educational services, agriculture, history and city services like fire and police. They’re required to put together a major project for the entire group to complete, and by the end they’re asked to volunteer in some meaningful, ongoing way. The course can be seen as a roadmap towards service on the City Council, or just a way to be more involved in the community.
I sat down recently with Konni Thomas, owner of First Street Coffee House, who will graduate from the program this month. Typically humble, she steered me towards other people to talk to, who she said were more involved or more knowledgeable about the program, but she is the perfect test subject. She is the Gilroy Everywoman who initially embarked on the program to network and help her business.
Thomas is the second in her family to undergo the course; daughter Kassi Swalboski graduated last year and urged her to apply. Thomas waxes enthusiastic about the experience; “I’d stay in it forever,” she said.
The process starts with interviews in October, and the program launching in January with a retreat for the new students to get to know each other. This year’s retreat took place at a camp in the Santa Cruz mountains, where students ran for “office” to get their feet wet with leadership. “You can see how some people are geared for that,” said Thomas, who said she had laughingly demanded a recount when her bid for “City Council” failed.
The students also spent their time in the woods to brainstorm their class project, itself an exercise in research and project management. Thomas’s class project was the community garden now flourishing with plants and activities on Eigleberry.
After the intensive retreat, the class met every other Friday … all day. “It’s not that huge of a time commitment,” said Thomas, just as I was reflecting the opposite. Those Fridays involved visits to Rebekah House, St. Joseph’s Family Center, The Dispatch, Christopher Ranch, the electrical plant behind Con Agra, and every school site in Gilroy, just to name a partial sampling.
Thomas’s favorite was an accident simulation in Christmas Hill Park, where emergency workers cut open a car with the Jaws of Life, while a helicopter stood at the ready. She showed me her goose bumps, and put her hand to her heart. “Those are the people who are taking care of our city,” she said, clearly moved.
Students visited Sacramento to see big government, and ducked into Gilroy’s Council chambers to watch action on the local scene. It’s a testament to the idea that becoming familiar with something empowers you-because of its newfound comfort with city government, Thomas said her group petitioned City Council for a fence to surround the community garden.
Thomas was a natural to go through the program. She’s a community-minded business owner whose coffee house functions as a gathering place for local groups. I’ve overheard everything there from theater directors strategizing fundraising, to casual job interviewing. She’s also a risk-taker; she made an offer on First Street a week after learning it was for sale – when she’d not only never run a cafe, but never owned a business before. “What’s the worst that could happen?” she told me her family reasoned at the time. “We fail and then start over.”
That’s a great, optimistic attitude – and one that we need to help lead Gilroy into better times.
The Leadership Gilroy program provides an incredible, team-building experience for those who have the drive … and the money. This year’s program costs $1,150. There are partial scholarships available. This year’s applications are due Oct. 23. For more information, visit www.leadershipgilroy.org.
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Gay Marriage Denouement: I got the most online comments ever with my column supporting gay marriage, as I knew I would. Thanks to the poster named Jenigma, who over and over, with grace and eloquence, defended the issue. Nice one! Someone named Readandunderstand suggested that I organize a gay pride parade for Gilroy, with four people clicking on “like” for the idea. This is actually the second time this has come up in the online forum, not sure if from the same person each time. I love the idea; let’s have someone from the gay community launch the effort, and I’ll jump in.
Erika Mailman teaches novel writing online through mediabistro.com, with a new class starting September 8.
