The Ganas Network 2024 Colorado Gives Day Campaign

We're calling on our families, friends, and community to support transformational young leaders advancing the future of education!

At The Ganas Network - a professional development network for charter school alumni engaged in community - your generous donation plays a critical role in equipping diverse early-career professionals with the skills and community to thrive while amplifying their voices to lead change toward a more equitable education system. 

A donation to The Ganas Network is an investment in the young leaders we serve through our paid fellowship program, the education system, and our community at large. 

Learn more below, check out our website, or connect with our Executive Director at nicholas@ganasnetwork.org

TESTIMONY FROM THE FELLOWS WE SERVE: 

"The Ganas Network changed my life! It helped fuel my passion in a way that held me accountable. I have always been a passionate person, but to be surrounded by LOUD and like-minded people creates such an exciting and safe space to fight for who you are and what you want the world to be! I learned SO much from my peers and from the guidance of Nicholas - I would honestly do it again just to see what more I can do." 

-Saveem Afraz

"The Ganas Network fellowship has allowed me to understand the power of my personal story and early career to lead change in policy affecting access to high-quality education in Colorado. As a First-Gen College student from Denver's Far Northeast, this experience has made me more aware of how I want to address the landscape of needs within Denver Public Schools, which in turn has planted the seed within me to run for Board of Education one day."

-Matthew Telles

"Being a first-generation college graduate and early in my career, I am thankful to have been connected with the Ganas Network. I'm in a space with folks who share a similar high school background and have pursued different pathways in postsecondary education. With the connections I've made so far, I've learned from others and discovered how we can work together to further our growth as individuals." 

-Paulina Venzor

EARLY SUCCESS:

Since we were founded in 2020, we've served 145 early-career charter school alumni across 9 cohorts. We are proud to report that 95% of the young leaders we’ve served identify as people of color, and 81% of our fellows are first-generation college students. 

Our fellows live, work, and study in a plethora of fields. Their unique stories are the strongest testament to the success of the public charter schools that helped shape their development and propelled them to the leadership positions they hold today in their communities across the country. We invite you to learn more about each of our fellows here.

Many of our fellows have already sought further development to cultivate their power as advocates, participated in research initiatives, met with policy leaders, written op-eds, and worked with local education partners, lending us their wisdom to advance the future of education.

*The Ganas Network is a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center.