MEET THE FOUNDER

Leia N. Schenk- an esteemed social justice activist, community organizer, business owner, and founder. A Los Angeles native, outspoken, focus driven, and sometimes controversial champion. Leia’s focus on civil and human rights issues include extensive work around autism, mental health, mass incarceration, crisis response, sex trafficking, social injustices, and racial disparities. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Leia’s career path has taken her into juvenile intervention, state prisons, and social work. With over 20 years of service under her belt, she launched the non profit organization, Empact in 2018. Empact is a grassroots movement designed to bridge the gaps between the various communities within Sacramento County and beyond in an effort to challenge systematic failures while exposing policies that perpetuate injustice. Bringing together community members of various cultural/socioeconomic backgrounds, and geographical regions. EMPACT is an organization that serves as a platform to educate, enlighten, and unpack. Through protests, marching, lobbying, and demanding accountability, Leia has made it her life’s work to being the voice of the intentionally unheard, the deliberately forgotten, and to amplify the voices of the system impacted. By challenging policies and exposing discrimination, she is a warrior of the movement. In 2022, she developed Project Take. A curriculum that educates young people on the dangers of sex trafficking. Leia has made her mark by being diligent in her advocacy of autistic rights and remaining consistent and active in the community while continuing to support other organizations. She is highly noted as a change agent for the community, provoking actions needed to bring forth change and engaging in controversial conversation. Empact is a platform where you can feel empowered and voices are upheld and uplifted.