Community Advocacy and Leadership Academy (CALA)

About the Fellowship

The Community Advocacy and Leadership Academy (CALA) is a 6-month training fellowship program that equips emerging immigrant and BIPOC leaders in Snohomish County, Washington, with the skills and confidence to become effective policy advocates and transformative community leaders.

Through CALA, fellows develop the knowledge and tools needed to engage meaningfully in strategic decision-making spaces such as school boards, city councils, commissions, task forces, and other leadership roles at the city, county, and state levels.

Immigrant Guide collaborates with community partners, including Puget Sound Sage and Sage Leaders, to deliver hands-on training in areas including:

• Community Advocacy, Campaigning, and Mobilization
• Climate, Environmental, and Economic Justice
• Housing, Land Use, and Planning
• Equity and Social Justice
• Community Leadership and Organizing Skills
• The Power of Storytelling
• Municipal Budgeting
• Parliamentary Procedures

After completing the program, CALA Fellows are supported in applying for and serving on strategic boards, commissions, and task forces across Washington State. Graduates join a growing BIPOC Leadership Alumni Network, gaining access to mentorship, peer support, and collective opportunities to advance policy advocacy and community impact.

Each Fellow is paired with an experienced mentor who provides guidance in achieving both personal and professional goals.

CALA is rooted in the belief that those most impacted by policy should have the power and be seated at the table to shape it. The program amplifies the voices of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by building leadership capacity, confidence, and influence to drive systems change within their communities.

To ensure full participation, Immigrant Guide provides stipends, meals, and childcare support to eliminate economic barriers that might prevent emerging leaders from fully engaging in the fellowship.