About The Black Parents Association
The Black Parents Association of the San Mateo Union High School District is a diverse multi-ethnic volunteer association of parents, guardians, faculty & staff, students, and friends dedicated to cooperatively promoting equitable and inclusive learning environments for our students. BPA engages students, their families, community leaders, and faculty/staff in the work of implementing change around educational, racial, and social inequities. We are often the connective tissue among this diverse group providing tools and resources, removing roadblocks as we collectively support our world’s future leaders.
BPA has a special focus on low to moderate-income High School students within the San Mateo County community. We engage with students who are being underrepresented, underserved, and need/desire mentorship and additional support throughout their high school and college journey.
Our students face many social and racial justice issues in the current educational landscape which lead to educational inequalities. They are underrepresented within their schools through a lack of other students, faculty/staff, and educational material to identify with. They are underserved by a system that is insensitive to their economic, family, and neighborhood challenges. They have a very low sense of belonging and a severe sense of isolation which make it exceedingly difficult to feel comfortable learning and excelling in many academic areas.
Furthermore, the growing cost of living in San Mateo County coupled with the growing cost of attending college or university makes advanced education an insurmountable feat and completely out of reach for many students within our demographic.
To address and support our students’ needs, BPA offers several wraparound programs throughout the school year to provide:
- Opportunities for leadership and to receive mentoring and be mentors for younger students
- Timely information to students and families on resources to navigate the road to college
- Scholarship funds for eligible graduating high school seniors
- Quarterly community forums, seeking input that guides the development of new programs as resources are available
- Serve on the Equity Advisory Community to advocate and effect positive change for our youth
Board of Directors
L. Medina McKinney
Board President
L. Medina McKinney is the Owner and Founder of EyeSpy Marketing. She is a highly effective and innate leader with over 20 years of event experience, 9 years leading a nonprofit, 8 years of program management experience, and several years of training in coaching and mentorship. Through excellent communication, a calm demeanor, skillful management of details, and resourceful problem solving skills; Medina thinks (and works) outside of the box to make dreams/goals a reality. She strives to bring out the best in others (and herself) so that everyone wins.
Medina’s work has taken her from engagements with Electronic Arts, General Electrics, California Bank & Trust, CCC Fair, SMUHSD, UC Berkeley, to Facebook.
Kehia McKinney
Secretary
Founder & CEO of AAAMotivated “Attitude + Action determines Access” will tell you that she is a “mom” first. Ms. McKinney is a proven Youth Advocacy Networker, Mentor, & Education Consultant. Spending the last two decades as a resident of Tracy volunteering for and employed by Tracy United School District. Ms. McKinney, now retired, continues to show up fully for God’s call for Youth Advocacy through her work via AAAMotivated.
Dana Harris
Treasurer
Ralph Simpson
Board Member
· Two former students inducted into the Foreign Service in 2017
Doug Leighton
Board Member
Doug Leighton is the former Head of Visa’s Community Account segment where he led a 50-person team responsible for the sales and relationship management of ~7,500 US-based Community Banks and Credit Unions. Doug was with Visa for over 23 years after holding product management, finance, and customer service positions at Merrill Lynch, Barclays Global Investors, and Wells Fargo.
Since leaving Visa, Doug has focused on a variety of passions; advising fintechs that are committing to credit unions and community bank success, supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in financial services and the community at large, and providing thought leadership on managers and their direct impact on employee well-being and psychological safety.
Doug earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from San Jose State University in 1989. In 1997, he earned an MBA degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley. He lives in San Mateo, CA with his wife Tracey and sons Scott and Zachary.
We are dedicated to promoting quality education for our students.
Support us today!
Over the past four decades, The Black Parents Association (BPA) of the San Mateo Union High School District has helped students to seek and afford opportunities for higher education. Our Association provides scholarships, scholastic resources, leadership skills, book awards, and mentorship to our students. Join us today to bring the change we want to see in the world. Let’s bring equity in action!
