All photography provided by Jonathan Vicksburg

 

founder

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Ms. Diaz is the founder of CleanSlate Inc. and has recovered from issues of violence in her life. She has worked for over twenty years to end the cycle of violence among the poor. Her own life dictated that she develop this program to assist those who wanted change. The gang membership issue is far from the problem. It is the violence that each individual within the gang may perpetuate that is the issue. They have yet to figure out what is motivating them to respond to hurt and pain with violence. Retaliation is an expression that replace the tears and grief that should be part of the human emotional cycle. Once we get back in touch with our true humanity, violence becomes the last resort, not the first option. Violence and Rage are treated as a natural consequence of poverty, oppression and marginalization in our program. Anger and Rage can be useful if utilized to initiate change in our punishment based system. What we know is that those who have been affected by violence always see violence as an option.

We hope to introduce gang members and anyone affected by domestic violence or community violence to options that reflect the true intentions of the individual. Power and control does not hold on to anyone, it pushes them away. This issue of being in control is about fear and a feeling of powerlessness, Vulnerability is the true power and speaks to the humanity of our clients

Board members - established 1995

Board Members:

  • Chair Person – Sonia Sanchez, Community Advocate

  • Vice Chair – Tom Eldridge, Business Owner

  • 2nd Vice Chair – Arezou Yashoua, MFTI

  • President – Marianne Diaz, Founding Director

  • Vice President – Alfredo Estrada, Engineering Student

  • Treasurer – Roxanne Garcia, Drug and Alcohol Counselor

  • Secretary – Mallory Leitner, MFTI

Members at large:

  • Megan Bearce, MFTI

  • Alfred Renteria, CPA

  • Desmonette Hazly, Ph.D.

  • Danny Flores, Long Beach Health and

    Human Services,

  • Stephanie Fields, MFT

  • Larry Zucker, LCSW

  • Elisa Ramirez, Domestic Violence

    Prevention Specialist

  • Domingo Sanchez, UCLA Manager

Office & clinic Staff

The CleanSlate staff, are volunteers who believe in the goal of providing service to the community while using empathy as clients receive treatment and support.

Marianne Diaz, Founding Director

Roxanne Garcia, Administrative Director

Diane Castro, Administrative Support

Tina Espinosa, Front Desk Manager

Justin Garcia, Intake Staff

Alfredo Estrada, Sr. Intake Staff

Ana Huerta, Sr. Medical Assistant/Laser Tech

Michael Manzo, Sr. Counselor/Laser Tech

Anthony Baca, Sr. Laser Tech/Medical Assistant