Meet the 2025 Fellows

Andrea (she/her/they) is Mountain View Community Land Trust’s first Co Director. To Andrea, home is about creating a loving reciprocity with a place and the people who live in it. They’ve worked to promote local environmental justice and education projects with Green Foothills and Bay Area Wilderness Training and now aspire to grow as an effective and compassionate leader as part of Mountain View CLT. As someone who comes from a family of educators and environmental advocates, Andrea is excited to learn more about how other community ownership projects are being built and embraced at all levels in the South Bay’s affordable housing landscape.

Capacitación sobre gobernanza compartida: cómo participamos y tomamos decisiones como residentes // Training about shared governance: how we participate and take decisions as residents

Friday, May 29, 6pm-7:30pm 

Establecer principios de corresponsabilidad orientados a la estabilidad a largo plazo, la asequibilidad de la vivienda y el bienestar financiero tanto de la propiedad como de sus residentes, mediante la gobernanza compartida. // Establish co-responsibility principles oriented to long-term stability, housing affordability and the financial well-being of both property and its residents, through shared governance.

Este evento está abierto para la comunidad de Mountain View y nuestros vecinos. // This event is open to the Mountain View community and our neighbors.

El evento es en español. Se proporcionará interpretación de español a inglés. // The event is in Spanish. Interpretation of Spanish to English will be provided.

Ashley attended De Anza College, then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in Gender & Women’s Studies. Having experienced housing instability due to the 2008 recession, Ashley learned at a young age the importance of safe and secure housing. To her, home is a place where you are physically, emotionally, and mentally safe, something she believes everyone deserves. With this fellowship, she is excited to learn from the expertise of the
leaders within the housing system. She aspires to be a leader who deeply cares about her community and uplifts those around her. She hopes to see solutions designed by the communities they are meant to serve and safe and affordable housing for all.

Home Is Where We Create: Affordable Housing Tour & Craft Fair

Wednesday, May 20 from 4-5:30pm

Join Destination: Home and the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Silicon Valley for a series of community-centered events that bring affordable housing to life.

Experience affordable housing up close from 4pm – 5:30pm at Quetzal Gardens, where a guided tour will offer insight into how supportive housing creates stability for residents and strengthens communities. (Sign up for the tour during registration) You’ll also have the opportunity to explore a craft fair featuring work by artists with lived experience of homelessness, uplifting creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection. Come shop and experience how stable housing can inspire us to create, to reimagine and to push our limits.

Homielection

Sunday, May 24th, 10am-2PM

Homielection is where community meets the ballot. “Homielection” draws inspiration from Soulection (the renowned DJ collective), “Homie” (representing our community and village), and “Election” (referencing this year’s June primary and November gubernatorial elections). This in-person event is designed to demystify the foundations of affordable housing, uplift our local artists, and drive voter turnout. By balancing live performances with guest speakers, we aim to spread awareness of housing issues and encourage our community to hit the polls for the upcoming midterm cycle.

Born and raised in San Jose, Dina has watched her city grow from walnut groves to a vibrant hub at the heart of Silicon Valley. She celebrates its cultural diversity and feels a deep pride and commitment to the place she has always called home. Witnessing the pressures of high living costs, homelessness, and housing instability drew her to housing justice. Guided by her values of everyday justice and compassion, Dina advocates for clients affected by chronic homelessness, believing that a safe, secure home is a basic human right—one that allows people to grow, heal, and protect their families. She is committed to ending homelessness and envisions a housing system that is low-barrier, accessible to all, and supported by agencies that champion these principles despite ongoing challenges.

Affordable Housing Resource Fair!

Friday, May 8th, 5:30-7:00pm

Housing is health!

Join Roots Community Health, PATH, and other community partners as we come together to connect the community with resources that support housing stability, affordability, and access to essential services.

At the event, you can:

• Meet with Complex Care Navigators
• Access Housing & Health Assistance Services
• Learn how to become an affordable housing advocate
• Housing stability placement and assistance
• Free Health Services
  -Tenant rights and advocacy support
• Community-based support programs
• Legal Resources
  Get connected, get informed, and take charge of your housing journey!
  Food will be served

Sponsored by
SV@Home

Gianella (she/her/hers) was born in the South Bay, raised in Sunnyvale, and earned her B.S. in Political Science and Communication at Santa Clara University. A homegrown advocate for socioeconomic equality and affordable housing, she previously worked as Marketing and Research Assistant at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and with the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits’ Policy Team, supporting the REAL Coalition’s racial justice and equity efforts. Gianella enjoys leading advocacy trainings, organizing policy convenings, and amplifying community voices. Through the Brick by Brick Fellowship, she is excited to deepen her understanding of housing policy, strengthen her advocacy skills, and connect with her cohort, with the goal of leading through action to create a future where housing is affordable and development is community-driven and inclusive.

Staying in San José: Housing Affordability in the Budget

Tuesday, May 26th, 3:30-5 pm

Join SVCN and our partners during Affordable Housing Month for a conversation about how the City of San José can address housing affordability through the upcoming City budget.
As housing and other costs continue to push residents out of their communities, policymakers and community advocates are advancing a range of proposals to help people stay in San José. This event will explore the broader landscape of affordability strategies currently being discussed — including the REAL Coalition’s STAY Affordability and Racial Equity Framework, anti-displacement strategies, homelessness prevention and eviction assistance, and other community-driven proposals.

Hear from housing policy experts, homelessness service providers, community advocates, and residents about what these proposals could mean for communities most impacted by rising housing costs. Panelists will discuss how different strategies work together to promote stability, prevent displacement, and ensure San José remains a place where longtime residents can continue to live and thrive.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the housing affordability proposals shaping the City budget and the next steps they can take to advocate for solutions that keep communities housed.

This event is sponsored by SV@Home and organized by cohort members of the Brick by Brick Fellowship program.

Elizabeth’s experiences with homelessness, incarceration, addiction, and domestic violence have shaped her commitment to advocacy and leadership. Living through the barriers and systemic challenges that keep so many people trapped in cycles of instability has empowered Elizabeth to turn those experiences into a driving force for change. She believes home is more than a physical space — It represents safety, dignity, and the opportunity to heal and grow. Elizabeth is eager to parttake in the Brick by Brick Fellowship as a way to use her story to influence policy, strengthen community partnerships, and shift how people view homelessness and recovery. She aspires to be a leader who is compassionate and takes action, bringing lived experience to every conversation and amplifying the voices of those who are often unheard. Elizabeth’s vision is to help transform the housing system into one that is rooted in equity, accessibility, and care — ensuring that every person has the chance to feel seen, supported, and at home.

Home Is Where We Create: Affordable Housing Tour & Craft Fair

Wednesday, May 20 from 4-5:30pm

Join Destination: Home and the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Silicon Valley for a series of community-centered events that bring affordable housing to life.

Experience affordable housing up close from 4pm – 5:30pm at Quetzal Gardens, where a guided tour will offer insight into how supportive housing creates stability for residents and strengthens communities. (Sign up for the tour during registration) You’ll also have the opportunity to explore a craft fair featuring work by artists with lived experience of homelessness, uplifting creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection. Come shop and experience how stable housing can inspire us to create, to reimagine and to push our limits.

Joe currently serves as Co-Outreach Chair for the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Silicon Valley. His lived experience of homelessness not only makes him an expert but also allows him a unique perspective that is evident through the impact on his community. As Co-Outreach Chair, he helps plan outreach events on a bi-weekly basis to serve those in the South and North Bay. Joe is always seeking innovative ways to improve and adapt. When he’s not officially working on LEABsv duties, his advocacy does not stop. Deep compassion and a genuine concern for others are core values that permeate each aspect of his life.

Home Is Where We Create: Affordable Housing Tour & Craft Fair

Wednesday, May 20 from 4-5:30pm

Join Destination: Home and the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Silicon Valley for a series of community-centered events that bring affordable housing to life.

Experience affordable housing up close from 4pm – 5:30pm at Quetzal Gardens, where a guided tour will offer insight into how supportive housing creates stability for residents and strengthens communities. (Sign up for the tour during registration) You’ll also have the opportunity to explore a craft fair featuring work by artists with lived experience of homelessness, uplifting creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection. Come shop and experience how stable housing can inspire us to create, to reimagine and to push our limits.

Keanna is from West Point, Mississippi, and earned her bachelor’s in Marketing from Jackson State University and a master’s in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from New York University. She brings extensive experience in advocacy, communications, event production, and project management to her role at Roots Community Health. Her work with the Quorum Initiative, World Artists United, and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office prepared her to lead with strategy and compassion in her new home in Silicon Valley. Having experienced homelessness, she understands the hardships and inequities of the housing system, which deepened her commitment to affordable housing, equity, and justice. Keanna believes home provides stability, dignity, and belonging, and she is excited to collaborate with SV@Home and community leaders through the Brick by Brick Fellowship to challenge systemic barriers, center lived experiences, and expand access to safe and affordable housing. She aspires to be an empathetic, collaborative, and action-oriented leader who builds bridges across sectors to create a future where everyone can thrive.

Affordable Housing Resource Fair!

Friday, May 8th, 5:30-7:00pm

Housing is health!

Join Roots Community Health, PATH, and other community partners as we come together to connect the community with resources that support housing stability, affordability, and access to essential services.

At the event, you can:

• Meet with Complex Care Navigators
• Access Housing & Health Assistance Services
• Learn how to become an affordable housing advocate
• Housing stability placement and assistance
• Free Health Services
  -Tenant rights and advocacy support
• Community-based support programs
• Legal Resources
  Get connected, get informed, and take charge of your housing journey!
  Food will be served

Sponsored by
SV@Home

Marc was born and raised in Orange, CA, and has lived and worked across the country and abroad, calling many places home. Each home has been a source of connection, growth, and community. As a husband and father of two, home holds added significance as a place of love and stability. He is deeply aware of how housing instability, driven by rising rents and corporate indifference, frays these ties. Marc envisions a world where housing is a shared resource, not an investment, and where people do not need multiple jobs to afford rent. He is excited to join the fellowship to learn strategies, build relationships, and become a confident, collaborative leader equipped to inspire and drive meaningful change in housing and community equity.

Centering Our Voice: Envisioning Tenant Run Affordable Housing

Wednesday, May 27, 6:30pm-8pm

When it comes to housing, far too often tenants have little to no voice in the management of their building. Everything from whether or not rents will rise to when a leaky faucet gets fixed is often dictated by the landlord, resulting in challenges, frustrations and, many times, displacement. But what if tenants had the power to decide? What if, as tenants, our voice was centered from the start? Join us for an interactive conversation about what tenant run affordable housing could look like. What would you like to see? And learn about a unique opportunity to join with the Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee to help make that vision become a reality! This event is a collaboration between cohort members of SV@Home’s Brick by Brick Fellowship program and the Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee. Interpretation, Food and Childcare will be provided.

Yurina is a community organizer with Latinos United for a New America (LUNA), dedicated to housing justice, immigrant rights, and youth violence prevention. As a Mexicana, mother of three, lifelong partner, and cat owner, she values play, rest, music, books, and exercise as sources of energy and balance. For her, home is more than a place to sleep—it is where safety, joy, and community come together. Believing housing is a right, Yurina seeks the tools to advance this vision through the Brick by Brick Fellowship, connecting with the housing ecosystem and building coalitions. She aspires to be a leader who listens, shares power, and avoids burnout while supporting policies that protect renters, expand affordability, and put people over profit, seeing home as the first frontline of justice.

Empoderamiento de Personas Desplazadas

Friday, May 29th, 6pm-8pm

La registración será en una hoja al llegar al evento
Será en español con traducción al inglés, habrá cuidado de niños, se proveerá comida.

En un momento de desastre las comunidades enfrentan una decision: aceptar la perdida o unirse para construir poder. En este evento podras escuchar como las personas afectadas por incendios y desplazamiento se organizaron colectivamente para defender su derecho a la vivienda. Escucharemos directamente a los residentes que han enfrentando racismo, represalias de dueños corporativos y la perdida de sus hogares. Sera un panel que reunira personas que trasformaron la tragedia en organizacion comunitaria y llevaron sus demandas a la oficina del condado para exigir respuestas y soluciones para las familias afectadas y su reubicasion.

Se enfocará principalmente en miembros de la comunidad, que  puedan  hablar con libertad sobre sus experiencias y participar activamente en imaginar y desarrollar activamente políticas y soluciones comunitarias que aborden el problema del desplazamiento, especialmente después de incendios u otros desastres naturales. 

No registration link – just come!