By Jacklyn Xavier | 9/20/24
5 Questions with Jacklyn Xavier
After two years in the role of Communications & Alumni Engagement Specialist, Jacklyn Xaiver (2020 CLRI) is taking on a new role at LRI as the first Community Engagement Coordinator. With her talent for creating strong connections, Jacklyn will support Samantha Bergbauer with community partnerships and high-impact programming. Jacklyn will bring her energy and creativity to amplify our community engagement through content creation, communications, and volunteer management.
What drew you to the Community Engagement Coordinator position?
At the heart of it all is my deep belief in the transformative power of community. Through my own search for community, I’ve realized that I’m driven to create spaces where people know they belong. This role is going to give me more opportunities to do more of what I love; truly connect with, listen to, and support people, both within, and outside of LRI.
I am so excited to embark on this journey with Sam as she has inspired and taught me so much since my CLRI days. Our work together in this department is an important opportunity for LRI to show up even more deeply for our partners and the communities we serve, inspiring civic activation, deeper engagement, and a widespread understanding and empathy for one another.
What does community engagement mean to you, both personally, and in how you’re going to approach this position?
To me, community engagement is about the power of activation – uniting people to come together with purpose and passion. It’s about listening deeply, being supportive, and recognizing that every voice matters. With my “go-getter” attitude, I envision taking an active role in building bridges between people, communities, and organizations, making sure they know that they are not alone and are surrounded by others eager to make a difference. By inspiring more collaboration and innovation, we can make our communities stronger, together.
In your communications role, you documented much of Mariam Kaba’s journey as the first recipient of the Transform Rhode Island Scholarship. As her initiative now enters its third year, what impact have you witnessed as a result of the collaboration between Mariam and LRI?
I’ve been in awe watching Mariam’s vision come to life. The impact she has made in her hometown of Woonsocket is one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever witnessed.
In the work LRI and Mariam have done together over the last two years, Mariam’s vision has positively impacted thousands of people, built dozens of partnerships with community partners, provided job aid assistance, overseen multiple mural installations, and created various mental health and nutrition options for students in Woonsocket including the “Mariam Kaba Community Food Pantry”, among many other initiatives. Mariam’s work has inspired countless individuals to engage in social justice, creating a ripple effect of awareness and activism.
Alongside the significant community impact in Woonsocket, I’ve also had the privilege of witnessing Mariam’s confidence and leadership skills grow so much enabling her to harness the energy of her community and inspire others to join her cause.
This summer you had the opportunity to coach Briany Acosta, a Prepare RI high school intern who didn’t know much about LRI before starting her internship. What did your experience teach you about LRI’s relationship with the community?
On Briany’s first day, she shared that she had a basic understanding of LRI, but also some confusion and intimidation around the ideas of “leadership.” This was similar to my journey when I first applied to College Leadership Rhode Island. Our conversation reminded me of the importance of helping people outside of LRI’s alumni understand not only what we do, but what we value.
Although “Leadership” is in our name, no one organization, or person, has all the answers; they lie within all of us. LRI has helped me to discover the magic happens when we people can get together to engage, connect, and collaborate.
In my previous role I had the opportunity to share our stories with the people who were already engaged with us; now, in this new role I will have more opportunities to shine a light on LRI for all of Rhode Island.
With you moving to this new role, LRI is on the search for a Communications Manager to manage some of the responsibilities you used to hold. What’s the best advice you could give to the next person who joins the team in that role?
Soak it all in and have fun throughout the process! There’s so much magic to uncover, so immerse yourself in the incredible stories and experiences that will surround you. Spending even a little bit of time with our alumni, team, and community will inspire you. Use that energy to lean into your passion and creativity for telling stories, and keep things authentic – that’s the truest spirit of LRI.
Those interested in applying to the Communications Manager role can find more information here.