FEATURED LEADERS
Our Featured Leaders are Early Childhood Community stakeholders who work to make Oakland smarter and stronger. They are parents/caregivers, providers, educators, and collaborators.
Angela Louie Howard, Founder and Executive Director (Lotus Bloom)
As Oakland Starting Smart and Strong marks ten years, we want to shine a spotlight on one of the leaders who’s been with us from the beginning – Angela Louie Howard.
Angela is Founder and Executive Director of Lotus Bloom, a network of three Oakland family resource centers that provide space for children and their parents/caregivers to learn, play, and find connection.
What inspired you to found Lotus Bloom?
I grew up in Bayview Hunters Point, a San Francisco neighborhood with a lot of stress factors. I received a lot of services myself. As an adult, I worked in youth development and government and a variety of jobs to serve the community, and I noticed that it’s within young minds that you can make the most change. I truly believe that if you help everyone have a strong start, then folks can be successful.
Twenty years ago, I moved to Oakland. I started getting involved in my neighborhood, San Antonio, and I learned that 86% of third graders were not reading at grade level. I was working full time in San Francisco, but I said “I can start a little program in Oakland on a Saturday!” That all led to Lotus Bloom.
You’ve been a part of the Lead Planning Team for OSSS since the early days. What are you most proud of over the initiative’s ten years?
So many things – partnerships, alignment, bringing people to the table so that folks can have conversations, cross-referrals, educating people about OUSD, incubating more informal care services. There are a lot more partners doing that work now. OSSS has also helped us bring more funders to the table so we can all expand our services.
What are you hopeful about for Oakland, going forward?
I’m hopeful because families have a lot more access to services now, whereas that was not the case before. I remember when my kids were coming up, there wasn’t as much.
For my own work, I’m excited that through OSSS we were able to incubate the Family Resource Centers Network, and that it is now expanding to Alameda County, so that we can cultivate more resources, and strengthen referrals and support for families countywide.
Angela is Founder and Executive Director of Lotus Bloom, a network of three Oakland family resource centers that provide space for children and their parents/caregivers to learn, play, and find connection.
What inspired you to found Lotus Bloom?
I grew up in Bayview Hunters Point, a San Francisco neighborhood with a lot of stress factors. I received a lot of services myself. As an adult, I worked in youth development and government and a variety of jobs to serve the community, and I noticed that it’s within young minds that you can make the most change. I truly believe that if you help everyone have a strong start, then folks can be successful.
Twenty years ago, I moved to Oakland. I started getting involved in my neighborhood, San Antonio, and I learned that 86% of third graders were not reading at grade level. I was working full time in San Francisco, but I said “I can start a little program in Oakland on a Saturday!” That all led to Lotus Bloom.
You’ve been a part of the Lead Planning Team for OSSS since the early days. What are you most proud of over the initiative’s ten years?
So many things – partnerships, alignment, bringing people to the table so that folks can have conversations, cross-referrals, educating people about OUSD, incubating more informal care services. There are a lot more partners doing that work now. OSSS has also helped us bring more funders to the table so we can all expand our services.
What are you hopeful about for Oakland, going forward?
I’m hopeful because families have a lot more access to services now, whereas that was not the case before. I remember when my kids were coming up, there wasn’t as much.
For my own work, I’m excited that through OSSS we were able to incubate the Family Resource Centers Network, and that it is now expanding to Alameda County, so that we can cultivate more resources, and strengthen referrals and support for families countywide.