CLF Leadership Institute
Removed from the chaos and distractions of daily life, the CLF Leadership Institute (LI) is a retreat that cultivates leadership and professional development, intertwined with a culture of care. The retreat fosters cultural identity and belonging, as well as personal and spiritual growth, by focusing on the following: service leadership; spiritual healing; nature walks & activities; small & large group discussions; and presentations led by Latine leaders and alumnae.
The pinnacle of the retreat is crafting and developing one’s personal story. At CLF, we believe that positive and negative experiences impact our lives and influence our trajectories. Ultimately, students become empowered to take ownership of their stories – to share and speak out about them with the intention of self-recognition, resilience, and pride, and as a means to support others on their journeys. Further, the retreat is a healing place with a spiritual practice of honoring Mother Earth and the nature around us. A spiritual healer is on-site throughout the weekend and offers ‘limpias’ —spiritual cleansing —using sage and copal. The customs, traditions, and practices of our indigenous ancestors are honed in and honored in this space as participants turn inward to heal the wounds of colonialism and imperialism that have harmed our Latinx communities. A certified therapist is also on-site throughout the retreat to offer counsel and comfort to anyone experiencing triggers or processing hardship and trauma.
Students will spend three days and two nights at the retreat, and will sleep in a communal dorm setting with 40+ other students. Food, coffee, and snacks will be provided. Internet access is limited and not guaranteed due to the remote location. The LI is a safe space that welcomes Chicana/Latina-identified students from all Latin American countries and backgrounds, all sexual orientations, and all academic levels and socio-economic backgrounds. Our values are women’s empowerment through anti-racist, anti-misogynist, and anti-colonialist practices.
Skill-Building Workshops
We connect with Latinas at schools and universities around the state of California through workshops focused on deepening Latinas writing and interview skills.
“I really enjoyed getting to know my fellow cohort members. I felt like it was really easy to connect with the girls in my room and have productive conversations. The workshops were very eye-opening as well, and made me realize how we have to dig deeper into the conversations we have.”
– CLF Awardee 2025
Semillas
Out of the hundreds of applications CLF receives, 75 students are selected to interview, and 45 are ultimately selected to participate in the leadership at scholarship program. However, CLF understands the tremendous efforts behind the application and interview process, and three years ago created the Semillas cohort. ‘Semillas,’ or ‘seedlings’ in Spanish, awards the semi-finalist applicants with a mini scholarship, and a one-day leadership training. The Semillas cohort stays connected with CLF’s programming as well as educational, scholarship, and volunteer opportunities. The hope is that Semillas will reapply to the leadership program the following year with an elevated toolkit while growing into their role as future leaders.
The Semillas one-day leadership training was held at University of San Francisco with workshops led by CLF Alumnae.
