Najla Gomez Rodriguez is the Capacity Building Director at Californians for Justice. Najla helps build the capacity of school district staff to increase family and student participation in decision-making. Since 2018 Najla has co-lead Professional Learning Networks of schools and districts with districts in the Central Valley, Alameda County of Education and schools in Long Beach Unified School District. Najla coordinates CFJ’s Equity in Action Services, professional services and resources to support education leaders in creating educational conditions in which all youth are expected and supported to thrive. Najla has supported over 12 School Districts and over 10 schools in advancing Relationship Centered Schools and addressing inequities from the classroom to the district with students as leaders and now sits on the CA State Transformational Assistance Center for Community Schools (STAC). Najla was a student leader with CFJ in East San Jose where she received the support to get into Stanford University. As an immigrant Xicana woman influenced by Black feminism, Najla believes that freedom necessitates the dismantling of all systems of oppression. She believes a better world is possible.