The SDLA Insti­tute is a pro­gram that equips Fel­lows with the skills, oppor­tu­ni­ties, and rela­tion­ships to make change in San Diego.

The train­ing pro­grams focuses on a core cur­ricu­lum of per­sonal lead­er­ship devel­op­ment, com­mu­ni­ca­tions, fund rais­ing, polit­i­cal strat­egy, tra­di­tional and new media, and pub­lic speak­ing. The Fel­lows also orga­nize a fundraiser to put into prac­tice their orga­niz­ing skills, and to help fund the next year’s class.

The SDLA Insti­tute spans 10 full days on week­ends between Jan­u­ary and June, usu­ally on Saturdays.

The pro­gram is designed to pro­vide Fel­lows with the tools they need to take the next step in their careers. The train­ing pro­gram is rel­e­vant to Fel­lows who work inside and out­side of pol­i­tics, with an empha­sis on prepar­ing young peo­ple to be engaged in civic life through­out their careers.

Fel­lows spend time meet­ing with local lead­ers from across sec­tors, includ­ing through pair­ings with career mentors.

Click here to apply: applications for the 2019 SDLA Institute will be accepted until Monday, November 12, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. 

We celebrated with our 2018 Fellows as they completed the final portion of the intensive institute program, the SDLA Institute graduation ceremony.

Fellows shared their next steps, newly found aspirations, and their experience in the institute before officially joining the larger SDLA network as alumni!

Congratulations to the 2018 SDLA Institute Alumni! We look forward to watching you grow and fulfill our organizations' mission to build a sus­tain­able progressive infra­struc­ture in the San Diego region.

Please join the 2018 SDLA Fellows as we activate, regenerate, and unite in celebrating the "Power of the People" in San Diego’s progressive community.  Proceeds from this event benefit future classes of the SDLA Institute, which ensures that the SDLA Institute remains free for all fellows.

We hope that you will join us, and if you cannot attend but would still like to support the SDLA, please consider purchasing a ticket.

Event Details

Date: May 17, 2018 | 6pm-10pm

Location: The Cellar and Loft at Mission Brewery (1441 L Street, San Diego, CA 92101)

If you are not able to join us, please consider purchasing an In-Spirit Attendee ticket or making a donation. Please visit our event page to purchase tickets.

Congratulations to SDLA institute alumni Crystal Page (Class of 2014)! Crystal is now the Director of Communications at SEIU California!

Content producer, digital strategist and web developer—Crystal has spent the last decade creating and managing digital content for clients and employers such as SEIU-USWW, Good Jobs LA and Brave New Films. Additionally, while living in Chicago, she gave her time to WLUW 88.7 as a broadcast engineer for community programming. Her syndicated reality show, “A Just Sparkle,” continues to air on CAN-TV teaching viewers how to shop sweatshop-free. Crystal earned an MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California and a dual BA in Communication and Theology from Loyola University of Chicago.

San Diego Leadership Alliance alumni Kimberly R. Simms (Class of 2013) was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the California Cannabis Industry Association. 

Kimberly earned her law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California and started her own law practice focusing on the unique legal needs of the medical marijuana community. In this position, she has fought relentlessly for patients’ rights, met with government officials to craft reasonable and effective regulations that allow for safe access, and litigated against cities when they refused to comply with state law. Kimberly is at the forefront of this emerging area of law. She has taught courses on Medical Marijuana Law and has been interviewed by NPR, CNN, and various media outlets as a leading expert in this field.

Furthermore, as a passionate advocate for LGBT rights, Kimberly is committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of the LGBT community through legal work, education and public policy work. She is currently expanding her practice to include legal services in adoption and surrogacy matters. Kimberly is a member of the Young Professionals Council, a philanthropic organization supporting the San Diego LGBT Center.