RAMA Blueprints

5 Sisters Audio Garden

RAMA Blueprints is about the legacy of San Francisco's Real Alternatives Program (RAP), a revolutionary youth service organization who practiced Self-Determination and empowered their generation, community and city. In 1969, Jim Queen co-founded Real Alternatives Program or RAP, a youth advocacy agency with an emphasis on community leadership development for and by San Francisco youth. Since the agency’s opening, they developed generations of community leaders. But eventually the agency closed its doors in 1999. In the 80’s, RAP created a single classroom school, which eventually evolved into a 4 year high school program. We follow the story of RAP's development as an organization and their legacy as a leader in youth advocacy, leadership development and alternatives to youth incarceration.. We follow the stories of former RAP staff, students and teens from that time, and community leaders who helped shape the tenor and fauna of San Francisco’s Mission District social service agencies. We also include eXtras to help with a deeper understanding through one-on-one interviews, commentary or our live group discussions series, Tres Generacíones/3 Voices recorded at SF's BRAVA! Women For the Arts. RAMA is produced, in partnership with or sponsored by CARECEN SF, Instituto Familiar de La Raza, Pacific Islander Resource Hut, United Playaz, San Francisco Foundation and private individual donors. The series is written, edited and produced by Darren J. de Leon and Host Socorro Gamboa. And remember "To Listen is to Heal." All Power to the People!

  1. May 20

    Tres Generacíones/Three Voices: Nuestra Sagrada Salud/Community Mental Health

    RAMA Blueprints hosts its 6th episode of their live series "Tres Generaciones/Three Voices.” The episode titled “Nuestro Sagrado Salud - Community Mental Health" will take place on Thursday, May 28th at 7:00pm at Brava Theater's Cabaret. Supported by a Project Impact Grant from the California Arts Council and sponsored by BRAVA for Women in the Arts, this live event brings together three generations of community leaders, healers, and advocates. Our discussion will focus on the evolution and intersection of community mental health, centering on the sacred nature of wellness within our collective experience. We will explore how cultural roots, spiritual health, and community promising practices and support systems act as vital pillars for our overall well-being, and how reclaiming these roots serves as a form of healing and resistance to traditional clinical models. Our panelists are: Michelle Alvarez-Campos, LCSW is a bilingual and multicultural licensed clinical social worker and clinical consultant with Instituto Familiar de la Raza. Metzi Henriquez, M.A., MFTI who holds a Masters in Clinical Psychology and has been a practicing therapist for over 15 years for immigrant youth and families in San Francisco. Dra. Lizbett Calleros, MSW, PPSC, EdD who serves as a therapist and school social worker in San Francisco Unified School District. Click here for FREE Tickets, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tres-generacionesthree-voices-6-community-mental-health-tickets-1990049162616?aff=oddtdtcreator or listen live here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1595022105963619/

    1h 31m
  2. Under the Avocado Tree: La Matriarquia Salvando Community Roots Garden

    Feb 27 ·  Bonus

    Under the Avocado Tree: La Matriarquia Salvando Community Roots Garden

    CALL TO ACTION Join us to defend that spirit at the Community Roots Garden in Oxnard Saturday, February 28th at 11am: 1801 Joliet Place, Oxnard, CA. Welcome to this episode that brims with joy and growth! Today, we’re celebrating the untold stories of 2 Community Roots gardeners—those tireless caretakers of earth and beauty. United by passion and persistence, they create bountiful havens for flora and fauna alike. Gardeners are the unsung heroes transforming barren lands into blossoming sanctuaries, teaching us resilience and patience. Yet, their challenges are real—from battling climate change to nurturing biodiversity amidst urban sprawl. Now the Community Roots garden is under threat of closing down as the landowners ponder the future of the property. Together, let's applaud their triumphs and stand in solidarity with Community Roots' struggles. In our shared quest for equality and environmental harmony, we recognize these green-thumb warriors as architects of a sustainable future. Join us in this jubilant celebration of growth, nurturing not just our gardens, but our global community. In this episode, we invite you to embrace the vibrant world where feminism and gardening unite, forging pathways to change and renewal. Dive into stories of resilience, connection, and the undying spirit of gardeners everywhere. This episode is produced by Socorro Gamboa and Ana Rosa Rizo-Centino. Darren J. de Leon Engineered and edited this episode. For additional information: https://www.communityrootsgarden.org/ or Instagram: @communityrootsoxnard or Facebook: www.facebook.com/CommunityRootsGarden.JardindeRaicesComunitarias

    1h 7m
  3. 12/31/2025

    RAMA's Live Tres Generacíones/Three Voices -From Invisibility to Visibility: The Rise of the Vasa People in SF

    This is Rama Blueprints Podcast's 5th live discussion live in their Tres Generacíones/Three Voices series from the Brava Women for the Arts Theater Cabaret in San Francisco's Mission District. This episode, From Invisibility to Visibility: The Rise of the Vasa People of SF, highlights the journey of the Pacific Islander Vasa community towards visibility and empowerment. Key community leaders, including activists, social workers, and educators, share their stories and strategies in tackling systemic underrepresentation and disparities in housing, education, and health. The conversation, moderated by Socorro Gamboa, delves into the historical and socio-political contexts that have shaped the Pacific Islander community's resilience and achievements. From the establishment of the first Pacific Islander nonprofit in 1972 to the creation of the Pacific Islander Cultural District, the episode honors the ongoing efforts and successes of this vibrant community. Hear firsthand experiences from esteemed panelists who reveal the challenges and triumphs of advocating for their people and envisioning a future where equity and visibility are realized for all generations. This conversation is a tribute to the ancestors and a call to action for continued solidarity and support. Be part of history and join the live podcast which includes a lively conversation between 3 local community leaders who have built a vision and future for the Pacific Islander community. The Tres Generaciones/3 Voices live podcast series at Brava Cabaret features 3 guests from diverse communities and generations throughout San Francisco. The panelist consists of community leaders who have experience working towards building community through activism, art, community organizing and empowerment. Always framed through the Principles of RAP, the discussion will seek solutions and future action steps that will hopefully build upon the findings of previous discussions to elevate the level of discussion and details for future action steps and conversations. Founded in 2021, RAMA Blueprints is the 1st podcast documenting the history of the Real Alternatives Program (RAP) within the City and County of San Francisco between 1967 - 2003 along with its current impact on community empowerment in San Francisco and the country. Please join us for this exciting event that will celebrate SF's Pacific Islander community, RAMA Blueprints Podcast. This episode was produced and edited by Darren J. de Leon and Socorro Gamboa.

    1h 22m

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About

RAMA Blueprints is about the legacy of San Francisco's Real Alternatives Program (RAP), a revolutionary youth service organization who practiced Self-Determination and empowered their generation, community and city. In 1969, Jim Queen co-founded Real Alternatives Program or RAP, a youth advocacy agency with an emphasis on community leadership development for and by San Francisco youth. Since the agency’s opening, they developed generations of community leaders. But eventually the agency closed its doors in 1999. In the 80’s, RAP created a single classroom school, which eventually evolved into a 4 year high school program. We follow the story of RAP's development as an organization and their legacy as a leader in youth advocacy, leadership development and alternatives to youth incarceration.. We follow the stories of former RAP staff, students and teens from that time, and community leaders who helped shape the tenor and fauna of San Francisco’s Mission District social service agencies. We also include eXtras to help with a deeper understanding through one-on-one interviews, commentary or our live group discussions series, Tres Generacíones/3 Voices recorded at SF's BRAVA! Women For the Arts. RAMA is produced, in partnership with or sponsored by CARECEN SF, Instituto Familiar de La Raza, Pacific Islander Resource Hut, United Playaz, San Francisco Foundation and private individual donors. The series is written, edited and produced by Darren J. de Leon and Host Socorro Gamboa. And remember "To Listen is to Heal." All Power to the People!