Monica EO’Mailani Flores

Youth Empowerment Coordinator & Senior Program Specialist | Funding Team

Monica EO’Mailani Flores and her family has lived in San Francisco for four generations. She grew up attending parochial, public and alternative schools while also participating in multiple DCYF funded afterschool and youth employment programs. Community based organizations were instrumental to her growth and development as a young parent, City College student and San Francisco State graduate. Monica believes in the work she gets to do professionally and considers it more of a calling than a job.

What inspires you to do this work?

I have a deep love for our city and know firsthand how challenging it can be to live and keep our families here. Every child, youth, and their family still making it out here in San Francisco inspires me to show up and think of better ways we can do our jobs, work in service of our families and as an institution, and do the least harm.

DCYF’s tagline is “Making San Francisco a Great Place to Grow Up.” Do you believe this? Tell us why.

San Francisco is a unique place to grow up and I’m proud of where I’m from, but I wish it was an easier place to grow up in. I do believe San Francisco is a great place to grow up and I know that there is a lot of room for growth; we can make it better together.

Is there a song or anthem that inspires your grind and motivates you to serve our communities?

“If I Ruled the World” by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill.