How one queer WOC boxer is using her skills to mentor East Bay youth

What do you get when you combine boxing, children and traveling? Vertical Skillz Outreach. Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez (she/her/hers) is the founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach, a 501c3 nonprofit that focuses on mentoring children and exposes them to global experiences. Dalia is one of the only queer women operating this type of nonprofit in the Bay. “[I] believe I am in tune with my divine feminine and divine masculine to be a mentor to the children of our community,” says Dalia.

Dalia worked in the nonprofit sector before founding her own. She noticed discrimination against people of color and LGBT people. “There has always been this weird underlying assumption that people of color are not prepared or qualified to lead,” says Dalia. “So along with the everyday gender bias I have to deal with as a female coach, I figured I would start my own nonprofit. I could call the shots and the youth I mentor would have the opportunity to see a woman of color, let alone a queer woman, be in charge of something amazing.”

Dalia describes her business as “a nonprofit program designed to empower inner-city youth through outreach opportunities that are centered around building physical, mental and character strength through mentorship, life skills training, and international traveling experience.” She created the nonprofit’s idea and concept in 2005, and finally incorporated March 19, 2019. Through it, she has taken school-aged kids to travel all around the world. She worked with youth in Nicaragua, Belize, Mexico, Dubai and Cuba.

Vertical Skillz Outreach is owned and operated by Dalia. She is passionate about youth and cultivating them to be the best citizens in the world. The Global Experience Program “is designed to help students see another world, expand their social network, and find their passion.” Her nonprofit also gathers used clothes, used shoes and used sports gear to give to people in the countries.

A large component of Dalia’s nonprofit is sports including boxing and basketball. She played on scholarship in college and became the first in her family to earn a college degree. She has been a professional boxer for over 4 years. “Boxing saved my life.” Dalia found boxing her first two years of college during a tough and pivotal moment in her life. The sport taught her discipline, hard work, and dedication. After college, Dalia started training children in East Oakland. “For me, Oakland has always been a powerful city. I love the passion, the strength and the integrity of the people here. The power of us black and brown people is undeniable,” says Dalia. 

Students are primarily chosen through her boxing classes, youth programs, and via OUSD schools. They are required to write a 1-to-2-page essays on why they think traveling would broaden their horizons. If selected, they are only responsible for their passports. Housing, food, and travel are provided.

Vertical Skillz Outreach’s largest trip was to Cuba. In 2019, she raised about $19,000 through donations and fundraisers to send 10 Bay Area middle and high school students to Cuba. She raised a big amount on Cinco De Mayo by hosting a boxing watch party at Plank in Jack London Square, but the total amount for the trip was about $28,000 and is hoping to have another fundraiser to complete the payment.

“This is a make a dollar out of 15 cents story,” says Dalia. She creates booths at restaurants and functions to spread the word about her business. Her booth includes her boxing gloves, pictures of her boxing, flyers about her program and a box for donations. “Oakland has pride. Oakland has heart,” says Dalia. This is why her program is based in the East Bay. She makes it her duty to educate black and brown students on giving back and showing them the world. “Watching the kids experience the world is the best feeling. Watching them grow into a better version of themselves is the best feeling.”

Dalia is currently looking for a building to house her boxing & fitness business and the nonprofit. She is running the nonprofit alone and hopes to build a board of directors so that things can be easier to operate. With a great team, the youth in our community will benefit so much. If anyone can be of service, please let her know.

You can donate via Venmo: @verticalskillz and PayPal: goverticalskillz@gmail.com.

Follow Vertical Skillz Outreach on Instagram.

 ,