OUR MISSION
The mission of Facilitation Corps is to provide communities and organizations with the setting and the tools they need to accomplish their goals.
ABOUT RENÉ M. CASTRO
Principal and Founder, Facilitation Corps LLC
My family’s roots go back many generations in what is called the Arroyo Seco area of North East Los Angeles. Mom and I both went to the same grammar school. Dad grew up on a farm in La Presa, Mexico, an area just outside of Tijuana. His Father worked as a carpenter on the Rodriguez Dam and he constructed a home for 16 children with the discarded wood. My maternal Grandfather worked at Taylor Yard, near Downtown LA, as a Carman for the Pacific Fruit Express. My maternal Grandmother took in sewing jobs while raising 5 children through the Depression.
As a Mexican-American my identity lies deep within Los Angeles and the South Bay. I remember the gangs and the graffiti in my neighborhood, Cypress Park. I also remember the senseless loss of life and learning how to stay out of trouble. I was fortunate to be protected by my family, my teachers…my community.
Attending college and graduate school were never a question. I knew it was the only way to get ahead and I wanted to achieve what my Mom had accomplished when she graduated from “Cal” Berkeley in the early 50s’. I worked and studied hard, graduated from UCLA, joined the Peace Corps and eventually earned a full scholarship to the University of Washington (UW) School of Social Work.
The Peace Corps taught me the importance of leading from behind (Lao Tzu) and how essential it is to build long term and sustainable capacity in communities. UW and my 30+ year career since have provided me the tools to create intentional and courageous spaces where people of all languages, cultures and education are invited to say what needs to be said.
This history and these values serve as the cornerstone of Facilitation Corps: To inspire individuals, communities and organizations to understand they have all the gifts necessary to achieve their goals.
In addition, we aim to build the capacity of a whole new generation of facilitators from multiple languages and cultures to serve as conduits for their communities, to help traditionally marginalized communities find and speak their truth.
MEET THE TEAM
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Lisa Slavid
Lisa is an organizational consultant, keynote speaker, cartoonist, and executive coach. She is an Appreciative Inquiry expert, and coined the term “learned hopefulness” in relation to expanding our own sense of creativity and agency. She designs and facilitates programs and retreats on: Leadership, Creativity & Innovation, DEI topics and Strategic Planning. A former 25-year higher educational professional, and is an extensive traveler, seeking ways to help people, organizations and communities to thrive.
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Jarrod Schwartz
Jarrod is an educator and consultant with 30 years of experience working with schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, government, and communities. Jarrod’s unique approach draws upon the fields of social justice and organization development to foster inclusive, multi-stakeholder processes that result in community and social change.
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Saba Mwine-Chang
Saba is a racial equity systems change practitioner, educator and community builder at the intersections of practice, research and policy. She serves as a trusted multi-sectoral community builder for public interest national and regional initiatives. She is a warm communicator, natural public speaker and champion of cooperative partnerships.
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Maria L Larquier, MSW
Maria was born in Durango, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States as a teenager.. For the past thirty years she has worked with a variety of grassroots organizations, community members, and marginalized communities. Her passion is to provide assistance to community-based organizations through strategic planning and inter-cultural community building.
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René Castro, MSW
René serves as Principal of Facilitation Corps. An educator, community change agent and social justice advocate, René uses his facilitation and expert planning skills to bring diverse communities and organizations together to foster lasting and significant impact.