OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – After nearly three decades, Regina Jackson is hanging up her hat as the CEO of the East Oakland Youth Development Center.
During her tenure Jackson connected young people with all kinds of resources, empowering thousands of them to achieve lifelong academic and career success.
Jackson is credited with creating a national youth development model which is focused on leadership.
Now she is looking back at achievements she is proud of most.
“Creating a mechanism by which the young people can be leaders and create a strong pipeline of leadership to take over at the East Oakland Youth Development Center is probably the most substantial contribution that I could make. And EOYDC, which was a haven, and was a beacon now looks almost like a castle in the middle of a challenged environment. So it’s a place that stands for hope, and it looks like it’s hope.”
Jackson admits she spent the last 27 years working seven days a week, but there still is no stopping her.
She will help secure the future for EOYDC, and although her four year term as chair of the Oakland police commission has ended, she is staying on for a while to help transition her successor into that position.