Sarah De Leon is here to shake things up and make stuff happen! Founder of the Community Advocates of Scotts Valley, one of the first things her organization did was put in crossing guards at our schools. But she and they are not finished as they work to bring fireworks back for the 4th of July among many other projects in need of attention and funding. A heart of gold for the people in our city, Sarah is just getting started.
Before coming to Scotts Valley, where did you live?
I was born and raised in San Jose, CA. My mom still lives in the house she brought me home from the hospital. After my husband, Lupe, and I got married in June of 2010, we lived in a townhouse in Los Gatos. That’s where we lived when our daughter, Annabella “Bella,” was born.
What brought you to Scotts Valley and how long have you lived here?
I have been coming to Scott’s Valley since I was a kid. When my (step)dad finished serving in the Navy in Vietnam, he followed his bunkmate to Boulder Creek. He kept his Moutain Cabin even after he married my mom because he loved the Santa Cruz Mountains so much. I’m so glad he got to see us move to SV and help me with DIY projects before he died. My mom would get car sick on Bear Creek, so we would often take the route through SV. My parents talked about moving there, and as I got older and started working in tech and traveling the world, I knew I wanted to settle in a community. I never felt I had that growing up in San Jose. My husband and I started building our life here before we bought our house. We picked our dentist, our favorite sushi restaurant, date night at the movies, etc. It felt like home before it was.
What do you love most about living here?
The people. We have the best neighbors, and through school participation at Baymonte, Vine Hill, and now, the middle school, we have a real sense of home unlike anything my husband and I have ever had. Our daughter was 1.5 years old when we moved. She has no memory of life before here, and it’s where we have our family memories.
Please describe what drives and motivates you to do more for others and for the people of Scotts Valley.
I started volunteering in high school at Sacred Heart Community Center in downtown San Jose. Every week, I would pack bags of pantry items or help people find new clothes, and I loved the feeling I got from helping others. I loved it so much that it became my career, and that transitioned to working with the United Nations on the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And now I have my own company, which is headquartered here in Scott’s Valley, helping others and the world.