Mer's News
Mer elected as a California District 18 Delegate, she's headed to the Democratic National Convention!
When Mer learned about the opportunity to apply to be a California Delegate for this year's Democratic National Convention, she jumped at the chance to participate. She didn't even know that a person could apply, they just need to be a registered delegate. So, Mer applied, and an incredible thing happened -- she learned that Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed her as part of his slate! See the message that she sent to her family and friends below.
|
Tue, Apr 16, 7:24 PM
Family, friends, and colleagues, I am so excited to share that I learned yesterday that Governor Gavin Newsom selected ME to be a part of his 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) District Level Delegate slate! What do all of these words mean, you ask?
|
|
- I am one of 12 candidates vying for five seats, and I am one of four candidates that identify as female who are vying for three seats reserved for female delegates.
- This Friday, April 19 to Sunday, April 21, eligible caucus participants will vote to select me as a Pledged delegate for D 18. “"Pledged" or "bound" delegates: A delegate who pledges (on the Democratic side) or is bound (on the Republican side) to support a certain presidential candidate at the national convention. The amount of freedom these delegates have to support other candidates varies by state, by party, and by circumstances (CNN).
- CADEM staff will tally the votes and post the list of elected District-Level Candidates. If I’m selected, I will attend the first California Statewide Delegation meeting in May in San Diego.
On Monday, April 22nd, after the district delegate voting ended, Mer received an email that she was ELECTED! Check out her post on socials below sharing her excitement for the opportunity.
|
I'm humbled and proud to announce that I have been elected as a California Delegate representing Congressional District 18! Thank you to everyone who voted for me last weekend. I am excited for this opportunity to join California equity champions like Shay Franco Clausen (who I served with on the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women) and Emerge California sisters like Crystal Martinez, in Chicago this August for the Democratic National Convention! Sending positive vibes for everyone who submitted applications for the At Large or PLEO delegate seats! Mer also learned that not only was she elected, she received the HIGHEST number of votes in her district, compared to all other applicants!
Mer wants to thank all Democratic caucus members for their votes and the opportunity to serve her region as a California Delegate. Mer will post a blog article about her experience in the summer. |
Mer Highlighted as NCAN's Member of the Month!
On January 3, 2024, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) highlighted Mer as their first Member of the Month for 2024.
Congratulations to our January 2024 Member of the Month (MeMo) Meredith Curry Nuñez! National College Attainment Network (NCAN) staff asked her both professional and personal questions so you can get to know her and the work she does better.
Name: Meredith Curry Nuñez (she/her)
Location: San Jose, CA
Alma Mater: University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
Title and Organization: Executive Director, Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC)
Professional Questions
Q: What brought you to the college access and success field initially?
A: I am a first-generation college graduate, and I attribute my success to the support of programs like the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and my mentors. Leaders like Dwayne Cantrell, now at Cal State Bakersfield, and Claudia Morales, now at UC Berkeley, helped me access programs and resources so that I could go to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). My mother, Helena Curry, encouraged me to aim for college. Together, we started the Filipino Parents’ and Students’ Association club during my first year at Piedmont Hill High School in East San Jose, CA.
When I went to UCLA, I wanted to help students just like me in the same way. I worked for the GEAR UP program in Inglewood, CA, and EAOP at high schools throughout Los Angeles County. That work over my four-year journey at UCLA inspired me to aim for roles that allowed me to do the same work of advising students and supporting families. My professional and personal mission has been to lift up multiply marginalized and underserved communities ever since.
Read the rest of Mer's Member of the Month profile at www.ncan.org/news/660637/Member-of-the-Month---January-2024-Meredith-Curry-Nuez.htm!
On January 3, 2024, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) highlighted Mer as their first Member of the Month for 2024.
Congratulations to our January 2024 Member of the Month (MeMo) Meredith Curry Nuñez! National College Attainment Network (NCAN) staff asked her both professional and personal questions so you can get to know her and the work she does better.
Name: Meredith Curry Nuñez (she/her)
Location: San Jose, CA
Alma Mater: University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
Title and Organization: Executive Director, Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC)
Professional Questions
Q: What brought you to the college access and success field initially?
A: I am a first-generation college graduate, and I attribute my success to the support of programs like the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and my mentors. Leaders like Dwayne Cantrell, now at Cal State Bakersfield, and Claudia Morales, now at UC Berkeley, helped me access programs and resources so that I could go to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). My mother, Helena Curry, encouraged me to aim for college. Together, we started the Filipino Parents’ and Students’ Association club during my first year at Piedmont Hill High School in East San Jose, CA.
When I went to UCLA, I wanted to help students just like me in the same way. I worked for the GEAR UP program in Inglewood, CA, and EAOP at high schools throughout Los Angeles County. That work over my four-year journey at UCLA inspired me to aim for roles that allowed me to do the same work of advising students and supporting families. My professional and personal mission has been to lift up multiply marginalized and underserved communities ever since.
Read the rest of Mer's Member of the Month profile at www.ncan.org/news/660637/Member-of-the-Month---January-2024-Meredith-Curry-Nuez.htm!
|
Mer announced as a member of the Emerge CA Class of 2024 on December 5, 2023!
Emerge California trains Democratic women leaders to run for elected office and win. They empower women who have the life experience, passion, and resolve to reimagine, rebuild, and fight for a just and equitable California. Since 2002, Emerge CA has recruited and trained more than 850 Democratic women across California. When Emerge California alums run for office, they win nearly 70% of the time. On December 5, 2023, Emerge CA announced the Class of 2024, which Mer is excited to be a part of. Mer is especially excited that she gets to participate in Emerge CA with her friends Lisanna Dominguez of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, and Patrice Berry of End Poverty in California. Stay tuned for Mer's Case Study! Learning from colleagues in the college access and success field that it's uncommon for practitioners to see themselves in elected office, Mer has decided to write a case study following her journey. She'll publish it in 2024 or 2025, and highlight topics like:
|
|
|
Mer Inducted into the East Side Hall of Fame on November 4, 2023!
Mer was selected to join the the Hall of Fame Class of 2023! This amazing cohort will be formally inducted at our Hall of Fame Dinner on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the Historic Hayes Mansion in San José. Check out Mer's Hall of Fame Profile here. |
|
She was nominated by her past high school principal, Dan Moser, and is the sole honoree for her alma matter Piedmont Hills High School where she graduated (class of 2000).
Mer joins over 150 individuals that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1972, among them Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Duong, retired Congressman Mike Honda, award-winning author Khaled Hosseini, nonprofit director Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, Super Bowl champion quarterback Jim Plunkett, playwright and screenwriter Luis Valdez, and Yahoo! co-founder Jerry Yang. Prior to this cohort, the last class was selected in 2021.
The Thomas P. Ryan Hall of Fame was established more than four decades ago to honor the outstanding achievements of graduates of the East Side Union High School District. It serves to recognize East Side alumni who have achieved notable success in the fields of public service, the arts, science, athletics, business, education, and beyond.
There are East Side graduates serving in leadership roles around the world, and too often, their stories go untold. The Foundation’s goal is to make sure more of them are heard.
Mer joins over 150 individuals that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1972, among them Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Duong, retired Congressman Mike Honda, award-winning author Khaled Hosseini, nonprofit director Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, Super Bowl champion quarterback Jim Plunkett, playwright and screenwriter Luis Valdez, and Yahoo! co-founder Jerry Yang. Prior to this cohort, the last class was selected in 2021.
The Thomas P. Ryan Hall of Fame was established more than four decades ago to honor the outstanding achievements of graduates of the East Side Union High School District. It serves to recognize East Side alumni who have achieved notable success in the fields of public service, the arts, science, athletics, business, education, and beyond.
There are East Side graduates serving in leadership roles around the world, and too often, their stories go untold. The Foundation’s goal is to make sure more of them are heard.
Mer Honored with 2023 Global Community Innovator Award by Global Tassels!
Check out Mer's ad in the Gala Journal and catch some of the good times in the carousel!
Check out Mer's ad in the Gala Journal and catch some of the good times in the carousel!
|
|
|
Mer published by NCAN!
On October 17, 2022 The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) published an article from NCCPC on their national blog announcing the signing of the California Ban on Scholarship Displacement Act. California became the 5th state to ban scholarship displacement when the governor signed the California Ban on Scholarship Displacement Act (AB 288) on September 30, 2022. Joining Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, and Pennsylvania, California’s new law will take effect in the 2023-2024 academic year and benefit over a million students each year who would have been at risk of losing critical scholarship support they need to complete their degrees. To learn more about the California Ban on Scholarship Displacement Act (AB-288) and the hard work and collaboration that went into getting it signed, please read the article here. |
|
|
Mer Appointed to CA Cradle to Career Advisory Board!
On May 17, 2022, Mer and three (3) members of NCCPC were appointed to the CA Cradle 2 Career Community Engagement Advisory Board! The data system, which is a national model for an inclusive design process, took another important action on May 11, when the Cradle-to-Career Governing Board appointed 32 highly respected researchers, advocates, and educators to two new advisory boards. These advisory boards will focus on bringing important ideas and input to the Governing Board to ensure that data tools provide actionable information and that there are strong feedback loops for communities to support decision making, analysis and equitable access to information. To learn more, read NCCPC's announcement here. |
Mer Honored as Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 Under 40 for the Class of 2021!
A Bay Area native, Meredith Curry has been serving her community for over 20 years in the education, wellness and nonprofit space.
Meredith Curry
Biggest accomplishment of the last year: Taking on the role of chair for the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women. I learned to lead with my fellow commissioners in an evolving virtual format.
Advice you would you give your younger self: As a mentor recently shared, it’s all about Learning, Earning and Returning. On top of that, love, heal and tap into gratitude daily.
Six-word memoir: Living, laughing, and loving out loud.
Read more HERE.
A Bay Area native, Meredith Curry has been serving her community for over 20 years in the education, wellness and nonprofit space.
Meredith Curry
- Executive director, Northern California College Promise Coalition
- Director of education partnerships, Moneythink
- Owner and principal consultant, AdvancED
- Age: 38
- Hometown: East San Jose
- Education: B.A., arts, English, University of California, Los Angeles; MBA, Cal State Long Beach
- Company headquarters: Bay Area
- Industry: Education nonprofit
Biggest accomplishment of the last year: Taking on the role of chair for the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women. I learned to lead with my fellow commissioners in an evolving virtual format.
Advice you would you give your younger self: As a mentor recently shared, it’s all about Learning, Earning and Returning. On top of that, love, heal and tap into gratitude daily.
Six-word memoir: Living, laughing, and loving out loud.
Read more HERE.
|
LEAD Filipino is now housed at Open San José!
Imagine a hub where nonprofits, artists, community leaders, and social change-makers can come together to tackle big issues. A space of collaboration and vision powered by creativity and technology – San José’s history and future combined to create an incubator for dialogue, storytelling, and engagement where our community can learn and grow together. CreaTV is leading this project, but the culture and activation of the Open San José space has been co-curated and co-designed by our partners and community members. |
|
|
Meredith is proud to be recognized by the Eudaimonia Society at the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative (HCI)!
One of 10 new honorees, Meredith is humbled by this award and excited to join the ranks of an incredible community that is dedicated to the greater good. I'm especially grateful to Featured Speaker Awardee, Dr. Kelly Lytle Hernandez, for "I try to live for the DnA - the Descendants and the Ancestors." I couldn't agree more!! I do what I do for those who led the way before me and beside me, and those who inherit this earth and our investments long after I turn into dust. |
The UCLA HCI Eudaimonia Award is an annual award to recognize members of the UCLA community, past or present, who exemplify Eudaimonia by living a life full of purpose and meaning. The UCLA HCI Eudaimonia Society highlights members of the UCLA community who, through their immense personal efforts, inspire others to seek Eudaimonic well-being.
Please join Meredith in congratulating the other honorees and learn more about them at Eudaimonia Society 2020!
Please join Meredith in congratulating the other honorees and learn more about them at Eudaimonia Society 2020!
|
Meredith humbly represented the college access field on the m/OppenheimORG Nonprofit Report!
Mark Oppenheim leads a conversation on creating economic mobility through educational opportunity with guests: Mia Bonta, former CEO of Oakland Promise and now Assemblymember for D18, and Meredith Curry, now Executive Director at Northern California College Promise Coalition. NONPROFIT REPORT is a weekly webinar on nonprofit organizations, issues and leaders. Join them every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am PDT, 10am CDT and 11am EDT by registering here: CLICK HERE. |
|
|
Meredith was a Commissioner for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), representing District 2 of Santa Clara County, from 2019-2022.
Mer also served as Chair of the Commission from September 2020 through December 2021, stepping in to lead at the height of the pandemic. With the support of generous individuals and organizations, the Commission on the Status of Women, a self-sufficient volunteer advisory body to the Board of Supervisors, strives to advocate and support programming, policies, and legislation impacting the lives of girls and women in Santa Clara County. Last year we raised over $9,000 for our community grants program and awarded over $12,000 to nine different organizations empowering girls and women in our community. |
Want to get involved? Come visit a Commission meeting!
Starting in 2023 CSW now meets in person.
Starting in 2023 CSW now meets in person.
|
Meredith humbly represented the Black and Filipina experience on One Down's video with Dante Basco:
Unlearning Anti-Blackness in Filipino Culture. |
|
|
Meredith is proud to be the inaugural Board Chair of LEAD Filipino!
She's also a regular of the Puso to Puso Talks, offering Dance & Release opening or closing activities. We are a community organization of students, adults, and families based in San Jose, California. We design and provide programs that educate Filipinos/as on civic leadership, public interest issues, and our ethnic history in the United States. From our signature Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit, to our eight-week summer Awareness in Action Program (AAP), and a variety of partnerships in key advocacy campaigns, LEAD Filipino aims to increase the visibility of Filipinos/as in public leadership across communities. Learn more about LEAD Filipino's Board of Directors. |
|
Meredith is a soulful dancer offering Dance & Release sessions for the community!
Dance and Release: Movement for Healing is about being present through dance and bringing joy into your life. Listening to music alone can be a healing experience. Freeing our bodies to do what it wants to the music is another thing entirely. When you get out of your head and into your body, you get out of your own way. When you're not wondering what people think about you, you can be fully about your SELF. When you've allowed your limbs and facials and hair and feet to move around and fling about, you've freed your spirit to dance with Spirit and tap into the connecting energy of the universe. When we dance, we're not alone, even when we dance by ourselves. The first Dance and Release party was held in July 2020 and since then, Mer has been asked to offer her Dance & Release sessions for LEAD Filipino's Puso to Puso Episode 3 for Larry Itliong Day, the National Civic Leadership Forum 2020 during Cultural Diversity Day on September 17, check out the recording, and many more! |
|
|
Meredith is a grateful apprentice of the Genesis Healing Institute Unfolding Alchemy Apprenticeship!
Three times per year, the Genesis Healing Institute opens up a special apprenticeship opportunity for people of color seeking to begin or advance their own healing journey. This apprenticeship is intended for individuals who are ready for a transformation in their lives and who are interested in developing their own unique set of practices, tools and wisdom for inner healing, growth, regeneration.
|
“I just finished my apprenticeship with Genesis Healing Institute and I can hardly explain in words what the journey has meant for me. What I can say is that I am profoundly changed by Nova's methods of therapy, mentorship, and fellowship. I have become the type of person that prays over people with grounding meditations, bells, and mindful breathing. I always cry when I pray now, and the words are always my own, not from my Catholic rememberings. Or I should say, the words are my own and come from the love of my ancestors which are becoming more known to me.
I am grateful prayer is now that meaningful to me at this point in my life when there is so much chaos and disruption, I don't even need a reason to cry. It just feels so good to cry because of something other than despair, but also out of joy for loving so deeply and being able to speak it to another, and everywhere. I am grateful to have the tools, the mentors and coaches, and the community to navigate each day, present, knowing my ancestors are with me and behind me, knowing that my actions are my own, and knowing that I can do the most good when I'm fully within my power and using my gifts with love in my heart.”
I am grateful prayer is now that meaningful to me at this point in my life when there is so much chaos and disruption, I don't even need a reason to cry. It just feels so good to cry because of something other than despair, but also out of joy for loving so deeply and being able to speak it to another, and everywhere. I am grateful to have the tools, the mentors and coaches, and the community to navigate each day, present, knowing my ancestors are with me and behind me, knowing that my actions are my own, and knowing that I can do the most good when I'm fully within my power and using my gifts with love in my heart.”
|
Meredith is a proud supporter and volunteer of AAPI Women Lead and the #ImReadyMovement.
AAPI Women Lead and #ImReady Movement aims to strengthen the progressive political and social platforms of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the US through the leadership of self-identified AAPI women and girls. Our goal is to challenge and help end the intersections of violence against and within our communities. We do this work in solidarity with other communities of color. The #ImReady Movement raises visibility around self-identified AAPI women and our experiences with #MeToo, racial discrimination, war, immigration, and more. It also celebrates the leadership and power of AAPI women in Education, Business, Technology, and Politics. At the conferences, we bring together AAPI women leaders and our supporters to learn from one another, tell our stories, and to highlight our diverse leadership stories. The #ImReady2020 conference was held virtually from November 7-8. Mer was a proud breakout facilitator and attendee! Check out the Community Care Series, An online series of workshops, interviews, exercises that are led by our community leaders to help us understand what is going on with the pandemic and what we can do (including health and wellness lessons), specifically as Asian and Pacific Islander communities. |
|
Meredith is an alum of the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute's Civic Leadership Program, Class of 2019.
For over 20 years, APALI has been growing a community of civic leaders in government, nonprofit, education, and business sectors.
APALI facilitates a Civic Leadership Program, Youth Leadership Academy, and Summer Internship Program. APALI is proud to have over 500 active alumni in its civic network community!
Check out what APALI is up to!
For over 20 years, APALI has been growing a community of civic leaders in government, nonprofit, education, and business sectors.
APALI facilitates a Civic Leadership Program, Youth Leadership Academy, and Summer Internship Program. APALI is proud to have over 500 active alumni in its civic network community!
Check out what APALI is up to!
|
Meredith spoke at the Women's Networking Alliance 12th Annual Fall Mixer and Small Business Summit in San Jose in September, 2019!
Thanks to Carla Bohnett and Tracey Lee Davis for a spectacular event from prep to finish, and presenters Abby M. Herman - Write Solutions, Kanesha Baynard Coaching, and Jill Lublin - Publicity Strategist, Media Insider & International Speaker for fantastic presentations and lessons shared throughout the Summit. It was an inspiring, educational, and joyful day and I can't wait to go to the next WNA event! I enjoyed the opportunity to facilitate mindfulness exercises, discuss intersectionalities, explore what it means to transition from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, and engage in goal-setting in my presentation. Want to learn more? Check out my blog articles on Breaking Down Barriers. |
|
|
Meredith is a member of the Filipina Women's Network (FWN).
The Filipina Women's Network (FWN) is a San Francisco based 501 (c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan international advocacy organization that seeks to increase the power and influence of Filipina women as leaders and policy makers at all levels in corporate, government, institutions and community organizations to achieve economic and social justice and women’s rights. FWN provides the content, credibility and a worldwide network of Filipina women professionals to support the success of Filipina women in their businesses and careers. Currently in 28 countries. |
Meredith is a Salesforce Certified Administrator.
Contact Meredith for specific questions about Salesforce. See if it's the right data management and tracking solution for your organization! Click on Client Testimonials to read what her clients are saying!
Contact Meredith for specific questions about Salesforce. See if it's the right data management and tracking solution for your organization! Click on Client Testimonials to read what her clients are saying!
CaliforniaColleges.edu is California's free online college and career planning resource for students, parents, and educators.
Meredith was the founding Operations Director of the California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI) who manages www.CaliforniaColleges.edu.
Meredith was highlighted as a First Gen professional, click here to check out the article!
Meredith, winner of the LASVP Best Pitch in 2010, encourages LA-based nonprofits to take advantage of this amazing resource.
Los Angeles Social Venture Partners (LASVP) is a diverse network of professionals who are pioneering a new model of giving — Venture Philanthropy. LASVP brings their collective expertise and resources to innovative nonprofits in Los Angeles, collaborating with them to strengthen their organizations and expand their capacity to transform local communities.
Los Angeles Social Venture Partners (LASVP) is a diverse network of professionals who are pioneering a new model of giving — Venture Philanthropy. LASVP brings their collective expertise and resources to innovative nonprofits in Los Angeles, collaborating with them to strengthen their organizations and expand their capacity to transform local communities.
