Meet Charlotte – Dedicated Mentor Since 2018

We’re pleased to introduce Charlotte, whose commitment and passion have made a lasting impact on Oakland Serves and the students she works with. Check out her journey below, and don’t forget to see the full interview for more stories and insights.

Charlotte (right) with teacher, Ms. Talasko

Charlotte is an Oakland native and an Oakland High School alumna.  She has been a mentor with Oakland Serves since 2018.  She has worked at both Oakland High and McClymonds supporting history, English and capstone classes.

Charlotte has led an eclectic life.  With her BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley, she worked in many different fields from legal aid to the National Park Service, opened her own restaurant and even published her autobiography!  Now retired, she spends some of her time volunteering in schools.  Aside from working with us, she has worked with Writer Coach Connection at Fremont High School and with Experience Corps at her former elementary school.

Charlotte was kind enough to chat with us about her long history in Oakland and her experience mentoring with us.  She also writes poetry, so during her interview, she spoke particularly about her love for the poetry created by students in an academic recovery English class.

Charlotte continues to support students through her involvement and creativity. Her steady commitment has helped foster growth within our community. Thank you Charlotte!