2025 Innovation for Impact Leader
Clarissa Laguardia (she/her/ella) is a recognized civic leader and Executive Director of The California Center for Civic Participation. Appointed by Gov. Brown as Language Access Manager for California’s Census 2020, she built statewide standards that improved equity for millions. She founded Rethink Language Access, managed the national Newman Civic Fellows program, and has served on state and county language access committees. With over 15 years in advocacy, Clarissa has been honored by the League of Women Voters and Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for her leadership advancing youth engagement, immigrant rights, and social equity.
The California Center for Civic Participation (CalCenter) is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding civic engagement and leadership, especially among youth from historically underrepresented communities. We create opportunities for young people to lead change through education, advocacy, and hands-on programs that connect them to local and statewide decision-making. From campus chapters and youth fellowships to pop-up events and creative campaigns, CalCenter equips youth with the skills, tools, and confidence to shape policy and community outcomes. By fostering inclusive, innovative, and arts-driven engagement, we empower the next generation of civic leaders to build equitable, thriving communities across California.
Clarissa’s work as part of the Innovation for Impact Leadership Intensive
Young people have the agency and power to shape their communities. Too often, though, they’re shut out of civic spaces, and as a result, systems rarely reflect their voices or visions. To flip the script, Clarissa and CalCenter have launched Shake the Future Up — a bold, youth-led campaign transforming civic participation into a movement of identity, action, and collective liberation. They’re building a powerhouse network of nonprofit and grassroots groups across Sacramento County to register 10,000 voters aged 17-35, while rallying youth organizers and adult allies through creative, community-driven outreach. Blending art, activism, and Americana-inspired visuals, Shake the Future Up reimagines what voter registration — and democracy itself — can look and feel like.
“I have learned a lot from this experience. C4AA’s trainings are unconventional in a good way. I felt supported along the way and less lonely in my role and in this endeavor thanks to the C4AA team.”
– Clarissa Laguardia, Executive Director, The California Center for Civic Participation