Palacio Podcast
Lionel Gonzalez is Busy with the Future, The Youth of Long Beach
Lionel Gonzalez knows firsthand the challenges that a young person faces. When he was in high school, he was labeled at risk.
“In High School, I was put on probation because I was in a car accident and my best friend died…I ran a red light [and] I missed a whole year of school.”
Lionel Gonzalez learned important lessons from that life episode including the power of mentors and leaders. Those lessons prepared him for his career today as a Site Supervisor for the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Middle and High School Male Leadership Academy programs.
Lionel Gonzalez
Since the inception of the Male Leadership Academy program in 2007, the mission has been to “…improve the graduation rate of underrepresented promising male students and to encourage lifelong learning by preparing them for college and career options.” A key element of that mission is to provide students with leadership training, mentorships, and inspiration. The program serves upwards of 700 male students across 20 schools. There is also a Female Leadership Academy.
Lionel Gonzalez remembers another encounter in high school that set him on a path as a mentor and a leader. He was called out of class to report to a teacher’s office where it was pointed out that the younger Gonzalez had the potential to be a leader. The teacher explained, “I see you’re very connected in the school. You’re all over the school, connected with different groups and I’d like to have you be our [student] president next year.”
For the young Gonzalez, the experience awed him.
“I didn’t think I could do something like that. But again, it was someone who inspired me, who pushed me, who believed in me and they saw something in me that allowed me to take the leap of faith.”
PalacioMagazine.com sat down with Lionel Gonzalez, a product of the LBUSD school system and a single parent home, to discuss the Male Leadership Academy program, his life experience preparing him for the challenge of working with high-risk youth, and most importantly, what we can all do to build a positive future for our Long Beach youth.
More on Mr. G
Lionel Gonzalez or Mr. G as the students call him is a product of the Long Beach Unified School District. He graduated from Robert A. Millikan High School and went on to receive his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in communications from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). Gonzalez received a Master’s degree in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne and an Administrative Credential with the Orange County Department of Education.
Before the Male Leadership Academy program, Lionel Gonzalez worked as an intervention school counselor. According to his bio, “He is very involved in the community and has worked to establish many partnerships for the benefit of his students.”
Lionel Gonzalez and Community Engagement
Recently, Gonzalez was recognized at Mayor Robert Garcia’s 2017 GO LONG BEACH Awards for his service to young men across LBUSD. He’s also a Leadership Long Beach Alumni from the Class of 2016. Gonzalez has received other community awards and recognitions including the Centro CHA 2013 Nuestra Imagen Awards for Excellence Service in Higher Education Award and the 2011 Sevia Ma’ae Educator Award from the National Pacific Islander Education Network. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also recognized Lionel Gonzalez with their 2010 Men of the Year Award for his work with LBUSD boys of color. Mr. G has also served to support non-profits and youth programs like the City of Long Beach GRIP Advisory Council, the Why’d You Stop Me Program, and Education Equals Opportunity Too.
