Submitted by South Sound YMCA
Please join us in welcoming Sergio to our community! Sergio Antonio Garcia (he, him, el) comes to Olympia via Dallas, Texas. Sergio attended the University of North Texas for Music Education and Voice and studied musical theatre in NYC, NY at the America Musical and Dramatic Academy. With over 20 years in the nonprofit sector as a Teaching Artist, Community Activist, and Educator, he is excited to bring his experience and knowledge to the Olympia area.
With a philosophy of centering youth and community in every decision through the lens of culture and identity, he aims to bring his experience in Learning Systems and Cultural Awareness to create impact and opportunity for the youth, families, and communities of Olympia and the surrounding area. As the son of educators, artists and immigrants, he took his love and knowledge of the arts, his passion for education, combined the two, and forged his career in youth development and education equality.
While in Dallas, Sergio became a community leader within the arts and nonprofit communities leading the efforts to create accessible learning opportunities and experiences that incorporated the arts, culture, and wellness for youth and young adults in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In 2018, Sergio participated in the National Association of Latino Arts & Culture Leadership Cohort that brought Arts & Culture leaders from across the country to explore Arts Management practices through the Latinx experience. In 2019, he was part of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Fellowship that took his impact work to Panama City, Panama as part of an international exchange experience, in collaboration with Dandelion Media, to provide youth experiencing unhousedness an opportunity to leverage their interests to create Festival Ñapita, a market for youth to learn business acumen with an intent to raise them out of poverty.
In addition to his impact work in the nonprofit sector, Sergio worked as a professional actor in the Dallas/Fort Worth theatre community working for notable houses like Dallas Theater Center (2017 Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre), Theatre Three, and Casa Mañana. Sergio is looking forward to being part of the impact community of Olympia and lead with compassion, intention and authenticity.
“Just by being me and being in the room is a form of activism and radicalism,” he said. “Representation matters and successful representation is paramount.”
Please join our Y in welcoming Sergio to the South Sound! Reach out to him at garcias@ssymca.net.
