By: Somos For Black Lives 

“The heartbeat of racism is denial. The heartbeat of anti-racism is confession.” – Ibram X. Kendi

In the days after George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police, we have seen thousands of people protest in the streets across the country demanding change. These protests are a result of the inhumane and unjust systems that have wreaked havoc on Black communities for generations, and leadership that has failed to hold police accountable.

This week’s actions come in the middle of a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted the health and economic well being of millions of Black and Latino people, who are dying at two times the rate of the rest of the  population. It will take decades for our communities to recover from the destabilization. This moment should serve as yet another wake up call to the insidiousness of anti-Blackness built into the fabric of our society.

Today, we are here to say unequivocally that Black Lives Matter! 

We commit to stand alongside the Black community and fight for justice with them.  We demand deep structural reform to address the problem of police violence  and police accountability, racial inequality, and opportunity gaps.

While we must hold the President and other leaders accountable, we must ask ourselves how we contribute to the exacerbation of racism and colorism in this country. Our collective inaction and silence is contributing to the lynchings of Michael Brown, Pamela Turner, Laquan McDonald, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Atatiana Jefferson, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin. Add to that list many Latinos who have also been killed at the hands of the state: Reefa Hernandez, Antonio Arce, Francisco Serna, Anthony Baez, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, Jessica Hernandez, David Silva.

We have failed to grapple with anti-Blackness that exists in our own community.   As Latinx, we are descendants of many countries.  According to the Pew Research Center, one quarter of US Latinos identify as Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean or of African descent with roots in Latin America.  Many in our community benefit from the privilege or illusion of proximity to whiteness,without acknowledging the depth of our own African diaspora.

We have been raised in families who refer to Blackness in the diminutive (morenita, negrita, prietita). We have remained silent when our tias have encouraged us to partner with people who have lighter skin than us so we can mejorar la raza. We have hated ourselves for our skin color, hair texture, our curves and our accents. Our faith traditions, the schools we attend, the families we love, the music we listen to are anchored in Blackness and our indigenous roots but we obscure that with whiteness.

Racism has influenced our own American experience. Our country was founded on stolen Native American land and the stolen labor of the enslaved. Generations of injustices have left us with prison systems that disproportionately cage and dehumanize Black and brown people; systems, laws, and socially expected behaviors that reinforce this basic idea.

As Latinx, we have experienced America’s hate when our children have been put in cages and our families are ripped out of our lives and deported. Hate is the reason that our immigrant family members are deemed as COVID-19 ‘essential’ but not noticed as ‘heroes.’ We felt it in the shameful response to disasters in Puerto Rico. Last week, we saw on live television when Omar Jimenez, an Afro-Latino CNN reporter was arrested while doing his job.

The path to healing starts with acknowledgement. Next must come action. We, the undersigned, are announcing the following commitments:

• We commit to standing with the  Black community in saying unequivocally, that Black Lives Matter. We will take direction from Black organizers in our response to anti-Black police violence.  All signatories to this letter have donated to organizations  that are Black led and Black centered.

• We commit to hold ALL politicians at every level of government accountable, for advancing bold, structural change, and we will challenge them when they stand in the way. We commit to include ending anti-Black racism in our legislative priorities. This means fighting for policies to end police brutality, promote economic policies that address  racial inequities and opportunity gaps and push to overhaul legal systems (voting rights, private prisons, bail bonds) that benefit and profiteer from Black, brown and immigrant oppression.
• We commit to starting the process of acknowledgement and healing of racism and colorism within our own community and families. We will act on ways that have allowed anti-Blackness to stand in our own families, communities, and institutions.  We will dedicate resources to raise consciousness and disrupt anti-Blackness within our own organizations.
• We hold our Spanish language and Latino focused media accountable for how they use their platforms to dismantle racism, colorism and anti-blackness in our own Latino community. We demand Univision, Telemundo and other media tell the stories of AfroLatinx people and the discrimination they face, and include more AfroLatinx voices in front of and behind the camera.

Over the coming months, there will be many attempts to divide Black and brown communities. In order to build the society that we want, where opportunity is for everyone and our communities are liberated from oppression that binds us, we must come together as we have in the past and fight together, united.

—–

Somos Latinos y exigimos que Importe la Vida de los Afroamericanos

Por: Somos For Black Lives  

“La negación es el pulso del racismo. El pulso del anti-racismo es la confesión”. – Ibram X. Kendi

En los días posteriores al asesinato de George Floyd, a manos de la policía de Minneapolis, hemos presenciado cómo miles de personas protestan en las calles de todo el país exigiendo cambio. Estas protestas son consecuencia de sistemas inhumanos e injustos que durante generaciones han causado estragos en las comunidades negras y latinas, y de líderes que no han hecho responsable a la policía por su violencia.

Las acciones de esta semana se presentan en medio de una pandemia mundial que ha impactado de manera desproporcionada la salud y el bienestar económico de millones de negros y latinos, que están muriendo dos veces más rápido que el resto de la población. Tomará décadas para que nuestras comunidades puedan recuperarse de la desestabilización. Este momento debe servir como una nueva campanada de alerta contra el insidioso sentir contra las personas de color negro presente en nuestra sociedad y en nuestros sistemas a todo nivel.

Por ello hoy estamos aquí, ¡para decir de manera inequívoca que Las Vidas Negras Importan! 

Nos comprometemos a caminar junto a la comunidad afroamericana y juntos luchar para conseguir la justicia.  Exigimos una profunda reforma estructural que sirva para abordar el problema del prejuicio y la violencia policial en este país. Exigimos políticas económicas que cierren la brecha de la desigualdad racial y de oportunidades. También el foco debe estar sobre la revisión de nuestros sistemas legales que, en el presente, se benefician y aprovechan la opresión de las personas negros, latinas e inmigrantes.

Si bien debemos responsabilizar al Presidente y a otros líderes, también debemos preguntarnos de qué forma contribuimos a exacerbar el racismo y la discriminación por el color de piel en este país. Nuestra inacción y silencio colectivo contribuyó a los linchamientos de Michael Brown, Pamela Turner, Laquan McDonald, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Atatiana Jefferson, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin. Agreguemos a la lista los nombres de muchos latinos que han sido asesinados en manos del estado: Antonio Arce, Francisco Serna, Anthony Baez, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, Jessica Hernandez, David Silva y la muerte más, Sean Monterrossa quien protestaba pacíficamente en Vallejo, California.

Hemos fallado al no denunciar, destacar e interrumpir el sentir contra las personas de color negro existente en nuestra propia comunidad. Como Latinx, somos descendientes de muchos países. Según el Pew Research Center, un cuarto de los latinos en Estados Unidos se identifican como afro-latinos, afro-caribeños o de descendencia africana con raíces en América Latina.  Muchos en nuestra comunidad se benefician del privilegio o la ilusión de su proximidad física a los anglosajones sin reconocer nuestras raíces africanas.

Crecemos entre familias que se refieren a la negritud con diminutivos (morenita, negrita, prietita). Hemos guardado silencio cuando nuestras tías nos animan a buscar una pareja de piel clara para que podamos “mejorar la raza.” Nos hemos odiado a nosotros mismos por nuestro color de piel, la textura de nuestro cabello, nuestras curvas o nuestros acentos. Nuestras tradiciones de fe, las escuelas a las que asistimos, las familias que amamos, la música que escuchamos están ancladas en la negritud y nuestras raíces indígenas y, sin embargo, lo opacamos con el querer resaltar nuestra blancura.

El racismo ha influido nuestras propias experiencias en Estados Unidos. Nuestro país fue fundando sobre tierras robadas de indígenas americanos y el trabajo robado de los esclavos. Después de siglos de reforzar injusticias y sistemas de opresión durante generaciones, se nos heredan sistemas penitenciarios que de manera desproporcionada encarcelan y deshumanizan a hombres negros y latinos; sistemas, leyes y conductas sociales que refuerzan esta idea básica.

Como Latinx, hemos experimentado el odio que existe en los Estados Unidos cuando nuestros hijos han sido enjaulados.  El odio es la razón por la que miembros de nuestras familias han sido arrancados de nuestras vidas y deportados. El odio es la razón por la que miembros de nuestras familias inmigrantes son considerados personas ‘esenciales’ contra el COVID-19, pero no se les aprecia como ‘héroes’. Lo vivimos en la vergonzosa respuesta que se dio a los desastres en Puerto Rico.  Y la semana pasada, vimos en vivo por televisión, como Omar Jimenez, un reportero afro-latino de CNN, fue arrestado mientras cumplía su labor.

El camino a la sanación comienza con el reconocimiento. Sí, nos produce incomodidad, pero es necesario para poder lograr resultados distintos. Después debe llegar la acción. Tenemos mucho trabajo por hacer entre nuestras familias, organizaciones y comunidades.

El camino hacia la sanación es el reconocimiento. Lo que le sigue es la acción. Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, hoy anunciamos los siguientes compromisos:

• Nos comprometemos a acompañar a la comunidad afroamericana al expresar de manera inequívoca que Las Vidas Negras Importan. Seguiremos las instrucciones de líderes de la comunidad afroamericana para responder adecuadamente a la violencia policial contra las personas negras. Todos los firmantes de esta carta han donado a organizaciones que abogan por y están lideradas por personas negras.
• Nos comprometemos a responsabilizar a TODOS los políticos, en cualquier nivel de gobierno, a que comiencen un cambio audaz y estructural y los desafiaremos si lo llegan a obstaculizar. Nos comprometemos a incluir el llamado al fin del racismo contra los negros en nuestras prioridades legislativas. Esto significa adelantar campañas en defensa, educación y/o comunicacionales que incluyan políticas para el fin de la brutalidad policial, la promoción de políticas económicas contra la desigualdad racial y el cierre de la brecha de oportunidades, así como impulsar la reforma de los sistemas legales (derecho al voto, prisiones privadas, fianzas) que se benefician y se aprovechan de la opresión de las personas negras, latinas e inmigrantes.
• Nos comprometemos a iniciar el proceso de reconocimiento y sanación contra el racismo y discriminación por el color de la piel dentro de nuestras propias comunidades y familias. Reflexionaremos y discutiremos las formas bajo las que hemos permitido que el sentir contra las personas de color negro ocupe un lugar entre nuestras familias, comunidades e instituciones.  Identificaremos el racismo contra las personas de color negro en nuestras organizaciones y dedicaremos recursos para crear consciencia, examinar nuestros valores y abordar y descontinuar el odio contra las personas de color negro.
• Responsabilizaremos a nuestros medios de comunicación -tanto en ingles como en español- por como usan sus plataformas para desmantelar el racismo y la discriminación contra las personas de color negro en nuestra propia comunidad latina. Hacemos un llamado a que los medios en español relaten historias de personas AfroLatinx y la discriminación a la cual se enfrentan en este país, y que incluyan más voces AfroLatinx delante y detrás de las cámaras.

En  los meses por venir, habrá muchos intentos para dividir a las comunidad afroamericana y latina. Pero para construir la sociedad que queremos, donde exista equidad de oportunidades para todos, y ponerle fin a la opresión, debemos trabajar en conjunto como lo hemos hecho en en el pasado y luchar por nuestras comunidades, unidos.

Somos for Black Lives, un grupo de firmantes:

Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA

Alejandra Gomez and Tomas Robles, Co- Executive Directors, LUCHA

Amanda Renteria, CEO, Code for America

Ana Marie Argilagos, President & CEO, Hispanics in Philanthropy

Ana Sofia Peleaz, Executive Director, Miami Freedom Project

Andrea Mercado, Executive Director, New Florida Majority

Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union

Becca Guerra, Director, New American Majority Fund, Democracy Alliance

Brenda V. Castillo, President & CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition

Carmen Perez-Jordan, CEO & President , The Gathering for Justice, Justice League NYC

Cecilia Munoz, Vice President, New America

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center

Cid Wilson, President & CEO, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)

Cristina Jimenez, Executive Director, United We Dream

Denise Collazo, Senior Advisor, Faith in Action

Diana Albarran Chicas, Co-Founder, Latinas in STEM Foundation

Elsa Marie Collins, Co-Founder, This is About Humanity

Frankie Miranda, President, Hispanic Federation

Hector Sanchez Barba, CEO & Executive Director, Mi Familia Vota

Irene Godinez, Founder and Executive Director, Poder NC Action

Janet Murguia , President/CEO, UnidosUS

Jess Morales Rocketto, Civic Engagement Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance

Juan Cartagena, President & General Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF

Liz Rebecca Alarcón, Founder & Executive Director, Pulso

Lorella Praeli, President, Community Change Action

Marco A. Davis, President & CEO, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)

Marcos Vilar, Executive Director, Alianza for Progress

Maria Elena Salinas, Independent Journalist, MES Multi Media LLC

María Teresa Kumar, CEO and President, Voto Latino

María Rodriguez, Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Coalition

Mariana Ruiz Firmat, Executive Director, Kairos

Melissa Morales, Executive Director, Somos Votantes

Dr. Mildred Garcia, President/CEO, American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Monica Lozano, CEO, College Futures Foundation

Mónica Ramírez, President, Justice for Migrant Women and The Latinx House

Nathalie Rayes, President and CEO, Latino Victory

Rocio Saenz, Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union

Sarah Audelo, Executive Director, Alliance for Youth Action

Sergio Gonzales, Deputy Director , The Immigration Hub

Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Stephanie Valencia, Co-Founder and President, EquisLabs

Susan Gonzales, Founder & CEO, AIforYou.org

Tory Gavito, President, Way to Win

Yadira Sanchez and Esteban Garces, Co-Executive Directors, Poder Latinx

Emmy Ruiz, Partner, NEWCO Strategies

Juan Rodriguez, Principal, SCRB Strategies

Matt A. Barreto, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Latino Decisions

Adrian Saenz, President, Mosaic Media Strategy Group

Claudia Rodriguez, Analyst, Latino Decisions

Michael Joaquin Frias, CEO, Catalist

Albert Morales, Senior Political Director, Latino Decisions

Crisanta Duran, New York Director of Democrats for Education Reform & former Colorado Speaker of the House, Democrats for Education Reform

Santiago Martinez, Partner, Arena

Erica González, Director, Power 4 Puerto Rico Coalition

Lizet Ocampo, National Political Director, People For the American Way

Eva Hughes, Founder, Adira Consulting

Beatriz Acevedo, President, Acevedo Foundation

Lili Gangas, Chief Technology Community Officer, Kapor Center

Ana Valdez, Executive President, Latino Donor Collaborative

Ana Flores, Founder + CEO, #WeAllGrow Latina Network

Andrea Marta, Executive Director, Faith in Action Fund

Daisy Auger-Domínguez, Chief People Officer, VICE Media Group

Carolina Huaranca Mendoza, Founder, 1504 Ventures

Erika Soto Lamb, Vice President, Social Impact Strategy, MTV and Comedy Central

Katherine Archuleta, Partner, Dimension Strategies

Laura Marquez, Board Member, Latinos44

Nathalie Molina Niño, CEO, Builder Capitalist, Author of LEAPFROG, O³

Paola Ramos, Latinx Advocate

Paola Mendoza, Artist/Author, Rola Productions

Lucy Flores, CEO & Co-Founder, Luz Collective

Nuria Santamaría Wolfe, CMO & Co-founder, Encantos

Eneida M. Roman, Esq, Co-Founder, Amplify LatinX, Amplify Latinx

Carmen Rita Wong, CEO, Malecón Productions

Blanca A Lassalle Vazquez, Founder, Creative Link Inc.

Marcela Valladolid, Author and Chef

Christy Haubegger, Chief Enterprise Inclusion Officer, WarnerMedia

Mildred Otero

Maria Cristina Gonzalez Noguera, Senior Vice President, The Estee Lauder Companies, The Estee Lauder Companies

Ramona E. Romero, Former General Counsel, USDA; VP & General Counsel, Princeton University

Monica Silva-Gutierrez, Sr. Leader, Google

Andrea Gompf Browne, Editorial Lead, Con Todo, Netflix

Lucinda Martinez, EVP, WarnerMedia Entertainment

Margarita Florez, Director, Education; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Natalia Salgado, Political Director, Center for Popular Democracy

Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director, Center for Popular Democracy

Pili Tobar, Deputy Director, America’s Voice

Franco Caliz-Aguilar, Senior Political Advisor, Community Change Action

Frances Messano, Senior Managing Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund

Irma L. Olguin Jr., CEO, Bitwise Industries

Jessica Perez, Partner, Deloitte

Marissa Padilla, Senior Vice President, Global Strategy Group

Francesca de Quesada Covey, Head of Partnerships, Facebook

Stephanie Baez, Vice President, Global Strategy Group

Natali Fani González, Vice Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Marsha (Catron) Espinosa, Govt & Political Affairs Prof, personal capacity

Lia Parada, Director, Government Affairs, Center for American Progress

Amilcar Guzman, Ph.D., National President, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Alumni Association

Earl Francisco Lopez, President, Lopez Global Advisors

Elvis S. Cordova, Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy, National Recreation and Park Association

Carmen Lomellin, Ambassador (ret), Lomellin Global Partners

Soledad Roybal, Director of Engagement and Partnerships, RCAP

Ebetuel (Beto) Pallares Venegas, PhD, President/CEO – Joseph Advisory, Fund Manager – Arrowhead Innovation Fund, Board Member – Latino Business Action Network, Joseph Advisory Services

Monica Sarmiento, Executive Director, Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights

Estuardo V. Rodriguez, President & CEO, Friends of the American Latino Museum

Vanessa N. Gonzalez, Executive Vice President, Field and Membership Services, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Javier Saade, Managing Partner, Impact Master Holdings

Maritza Perez, National Affairs Director, Drug Policy Alliance

Fernando Treviño, Principal, Treviño Strategic Consulting, LLC

Anthony Reyes, Vice President, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

Dan Restrepo, Founder, Restrepo Strategies LLC

Nancy Santiago, Community Impact Lead, Ureeka

Shantel Meek, Founding Director, The Children’s Equity Project

Frankie A. Martínez Blanco, Associate Director, Strategy & Engagement, XQ Institute

Elizabeth Barajas-Román, President & CEO, Women’s Funding Network

Christian Esperias, Senior National Director, Our Turn

Juan Sebastian Gonzalez, Senior Fellow, Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement

Johanny Adames, Associate Director, Latino Media & Comms, Planned Parenthood

Pedro Suárez, SVP, Data Science, GMMB

Kate Villarreal, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, Urban Institute

Victoria Suarez-Palomo, Senior Advisor, Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP

Scarlett Jimenez, Development Director, Alliance for Youth Action

Bibi Hidalgo, Co-Founder, Future Partners LLC

Jenny Montoya Tansey, Policy Director, Public Rights Project

Ysabella Osses, Gender Justice Organizer, New Florida Majority

Noerena Limon, SVP of Policy and Advocacy, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)

Abigail Golden-Vazquez, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program

Luis Sergio Hernandez Jr.

Vivian M.Leal, Communications Director, Indivisible Northern Nevada

Kenneth Romero, Executive Director, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL)

Lisa Pino, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights and Former Deputy Administrator of SNAP, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Krystal Ortiz, Director, NEWCO Strategies

Nery Espinosa, Director, NEWCO Strategies

Juan-Pablo Mas, 1) Partner [at APVC] and 2) Founding Board Member [of LatinxVC], Action Potential Venture Capital and LatinxVC

Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO, Latino Community Foundation

Ana Sol Gutierrez, Board President, MoCo Education Equity Forum (MCEF.org)

Christian Esperias, Senior National Director, Our Turn

Renata Soto, Founder, Mosaic Institute

Yvanna D Cancela, Nevada State Senator, Nevada Legislature

Karina Claudio Betancourt, Director-Puerto Rico Project, Open Society Foundations

María J Torres-López, Founder, Diáspora En Resistencia

Maruxa Cardenas Surillo, President, Our Revolution Puerto Rico

Nate Snyder, Executive Vice President and Board Member, Cambridge Global Advisors and LATINOS44

Mario Catalino, CEO, Jangueo Boricua Miami and Catalino Productions

Catarina (“Katie”) Taylor, Executive Director, Pan American Development Foundation (PADF)

Ian Haney Lopez, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Public Law, UC Berkeley

Maria Revelles, Florida Director, Vamos4PuertoRico

Felice Gorordo, CEO, eMerge Americas

Stacie Olivares, Trustee, CalPERS

Gretchen Sierra-Zorita, Principal, Polivox787

Bernadette Carrillo-Hobson, Principal & Founder, Resilient Strategies

Felix Sanchez, Chairman & Co-founder, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts

Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer, Culinary Workers Union Local 226

Evelyn Pérez-Verdía, Democratic Strategist & Founder of Political Pasión, Politicalpasion.com

Natascha Otero-Santiago, Founder, Parranda Puerto Rico

Cindy Polo, State Representative, Florida House

John G. Amaya, Of Counsel, Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP

Luis Guerra Moreno, Don, West G Entrepreneurs, Inc

Luis Avila, Founder, Instituto

Ricardo Garcia-Amaya, Founder, Top US Latinx Tech Leaders

Adria Márquez, Chair, Obama Latinos Alumni Association

Jason Ortiz, President, Minority Cannabis Business Association

Jennifer Allen Aroz, Senior Vice President of Community & Civic Engagement, League of Conservation Voters

Juliana Ospina Cano, Executive Director, Conexión Américas

Gilda (Gigi) Pedraza, Executive Director, Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia)

Omar Angel Perez, Lead Organizer, Congregation Action Network

Frances Colón, Ph.D., CEO, Jasperi Consulting

Alicia Contreras, Executive Director, Corazón Arizona

Teresa Acuña, Associate Director, Harvard Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

Rev. Rubén N. Ortiz, Latino Field Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Lizette Olmos Godfrey, Consultant, Olmos Strategy Group

Cesar Ramirez, President, Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida

Karina Cabrera Bell, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, OpenAccess

Angela Cobian, Treasurer and Director, Denver Board of Education

John B. King, Jr., President, The Education Trust

Laura I Rodriguez, Former Chief of Staff, Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell

Aimee Thorne-Thomsen, Principal, Guerrera Strategies, LLC

Paul M. Landa, Director, Community Family Centers

Alejandra Ruiz, Executive Director, Youth Engagement Fund

Ramón Zayas, Inversionista, Renters-Union.com

Keylin Rivera, Latinx Change Agent

Monika Mantilla, Managing Partner, Small Business Community Capital

Jimmy Torres Velez, President, Iniciativa Acción Puertorriqueña

Evelyn Perez-Verdia, CEO and Founder, Transnational Relations, LLC

Andrea Lopez Pearce, Legal Advocate

Jose Hernandez-Paris, Executive Director, Latin American Coalition

Omar Jimenez, Youth Vice Chair, 23rd Senatorial District Tejano Democrats

Bernadette Carrillo-Hobson, Principal & Founder, Resilient Strategies

Matt Nelson, Executive Director, Presente.org

Mayra E Alvarez, President, The Children’s Partnership

Wendy Mateo-pascual, Principal Consulting, Crossways Consulting

Omar Esposito, Chief Revenue Officer, Stackfolio

Lizette Olmos Godfrey, Consultant, Olmos Strategy Group

Sylvia Marcela Gómez, Partner, Culture Shift Team

Marietta Vazquez, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Director Yale Children’s Hispanic Clinic

Nilda Ruiz, President, National Puerto Rican Agenda

Nancy Torres, Co-Founder and Advisory Board Member, Latinx MBA Association

Karen Coronel, Regional Manager, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

Diana G. Hume Rivera, Ms., Villanova University (Class of 2024)

Samantha Ramirez-Herrera, CEO/Founder, Offtharecord, Inc.

Ericka Gomez-Tejeda, Organizing Director, Organize Florida

Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, PhD, Executive Director/Directora Ejecutiva, Ciencia Puerto Rico

Mónica Feliú-Mójer, Director of Communications (Ciencia Puerto Rico) & Associate Director of Diversity (iBiology), Ciencia Puerto Rico and iBiology

Pedro Viloria, Operations Coordinator, Latino Community Fund of Georgia

Sofia Ferber, Invariant

Valeria Carranza, Chief of Staff, Montgomery County Council

Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director, Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO)

Sean Salas, Co-Founder and CEO, Camino Financial

Nury Castillo Crawford, President, Georgia Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents

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