Activist Academy

Johanna J Iraheta (she/her/hers) Los Angeles, CA

I am a multidisciplinary community organizer who is passionate about humans most affected by inequity in particular in areas of food sovereignty, outdoor access and mental health. I have worked alongside many organizations, art initiatives and educational programs that support community organizing, mental health wellness and youth empowerment. Most recently, my work has been in community garden stewardship, green space advocacy, and nature inspired educational programs. With the Sierra Club, I volunteer for the Chapter's Wilderness Travel Course.

My hobbies include hiking great distances and heights to enjoy the sunrises and sunsets and learning about indigenous resilience, native plantstraditional use and medicine. I am excited to be amongst passionate leaders that creatively build the path to a sustainable and equitable future.

Organizations Johanna is affiliated with:

• Parks and Garden Steward Manager / Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
• Co-founded and coordinated a youth-led leadership program in Los Angeles for We Rise LA, LACDMH
• Program Coordinator for Critical Mass Dance Company.
• Currently Land Steward for El Srenoc Community Land Trust
• Volunteer for Sierra Club, Wilderness Travel Course (WTC)
• Formally trained by Outward Bound Adventure’s Diverse Outdoor Learning Institute

Juana Torres (she/her/hers) Encino, CA

I enjoy hiking, exploring different restaurants/cuisines and family time. I've committed to be a trainer because I've seen how other leadership training programs have made a difference in the lives of people and think it's time that the Sierra Club had something similar. I like to share my experience with fundraising and organizing and think they are valuable skill sets for others to have.

Organizations Juana is affiliated with:

• Steering committee of the CA Interfaith Power and Light
• Taught Faith and Ecology formation classes for many years with the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese
• Currently working at ONEgeneration Senior Enrichment Center, where she manages the Environmental and Emissions Reduction Programs

Kenny Allen (he/him/his) Long Beach, CA

I'm an artist, activist, and entrepreneur. I studied the theater arts in college, and run a cooperative design firm now as my day-job. When I'm not working or in community meetings, I enjoy painting, linocut, sculpting, and anything creative as a hobby. I also love tending to the little balcony garden space and nurturing the plants I have at my apartment in Long Beach. In my life as an artist, I create worlds that do not yet exist, and that is the same basic task I take on as a community organizer and activist. I have committed to be a trainer for this program because I believe we can all go further together. I believe we each have the responsibility to teach and learn from others who are also committed to building more just futures. Solidarity is a verb!

Organizations Kenny is affiliated with:

• The Sunrise Movement
• Democratic Socialists of America, Leadership Long Beach.

Raj Patel (he/him/his) Los Angeles, CA

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and currently living in the Crenshaw area. When I find the time, I enjoy biking, indoor rock climbing, hiking, and gardening. But mostly I'm a full-time stay at home dad chasing and entertaining our 2.5 yr old daughter. I love taking her out on the e-bike and Metro to show her various parts of the city.

The interconnectedness of the world has never been more apparent and the past few years for me have been filled with growth, mindfulness, and a lot of learning. As we're witnessing, the current systems in place are not sustainable for people or the planet. There's a lot of work to be done and nothing changes overnight, but we know that a lasting impact can be made with a collective, focused energy from the people.

That's why I'm so excited for this leadership training. It's an incredible opportunity to share the skills needed to effectively take action in your communities and grow as leaders. And it's not just a one way street - I think we'll all learn a lot from each other.

Organizations Raj is affiliated with:

• Sierra Club's Angeles Chapter since 2018. Currently, serving on the Executive Committee of the Central Group as the Co-chair of the Sustainability Committee.
• Raj is also a former student and current staff member in the Sierra Club's Wilderness Travel Course (WTC)