“I believe that in order to eradicate racism in America, we must explicitly struggle for Black liberation by building a multi-racial movement of people with power to win structural change in our economy, political system and society.”

Alberto Retana is the President and CEO of Community Coalition (CoCo). Since 1990 CoCo has tackled the root causes of crime in South Los Angeles by building multi-racial organizing model that has increased the ability of Black and Brown residents to win impactful policy change, resource redistribution, and neighborhood improvements. Alberto leads the organization’s campaigns and strategies to build the institution’s strength to secure victories. His core values center on the notion that people, love and compassion matched with organizing, strategy, and vision can transform society. In 2009, Alberto was appointed to the Department of Education by the Obama Administration where he piloted the National Youth Summit to address the school to prison pipeline.