Leo (he/him) serves as RSSC’s Communications and Storytelling Director, where he leads the development and implementation of the organization’s overall communications strategy, content, and outreach. Understanding the importance of the collective human story, he uses culture and digital storytelling to foster cohesive campaign development across each of RSSC’s Result Areas and initiatives.
Leo is a first-generation immigrant who migrated from Mexicali, Baja California, to East Oakland,
and then to Stockton, CA. His bicultural experience led him to understand the roles that unjust systems play in the marginalization and socioeconomic disenfranchisement of community members. After finishing his studies, Leo “boomeranged” back to the Central Valley to empower Stocktonians from systems-impacted communities to tell their stories and history, and help preserve their narratives. Leo has developed an array of advocacy materials, narrative and communications strategies for social justice organizations, and operationalized multiple community-based projects throughout Stockton and the state of California. Using digital storytelling techniques and a humanities lens, Leo illuminates social injustices, showing the value of stories and the history of communities, and building inspiration.
Leo attended CSU Monterey Bay and San Francisco State University where he focused his studies on Humanities and Communications Studies, Audio Engineering, Creative Writing and Social Action in order to understand the importance of the collective human story through culture, art, history, and story collecting. Outside of work, Leo enjoys running, shooting street and documentary photography, composing music, digital art, and collecting rare vinyl records.
Email : lmartinez@rsscoalition.org