Wise Latinxs: How to Build Power for 2016 and Beyond
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Thursday, Jul. 14 10:00 AM (Eastern)
Ends: Thursday, Jul. 14 11:15 AM (Eastern)
In the 2016 election cycle, the Latinx and immigrant community have been demonized by Donald Trump. However, this framework and racism has been driving policy in America for generations. Meet Latinxs who are challenging the national discourse and owning perceived wedge issues to tackle the biggest issues of our time. As the Latinx community continues to grow, something is shifting and we’ve found power at the intersections. Hear from some wise Latinxs about how to build a path forward.
Moderator
Hemly Ordonez
Hemly specializes in working with non-profits across the US and around the world to bridge emerging technologies to challenge inequality and positively impact local communities. She has led engagement strategies that center communities of color and low income communities to meet them at the intersections of their lives both online and offline for over 10 years.
Prior to joining Fission, Hemly was the State Strategies Manager at Advocates for Youth. She worked with local, state-based, and national organizations mobilizing the rising American electorate across digital platforms to advocate for cultural and policy changes that improve and value young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Hemly is originally from Carson, California and proudly represents South Los Angeles in the fight for health, dignity, and justice.
Other sessions: Rejecting the Pale, Male and Stale Leadership Pipeline: A Roadmap to Building Inclusive Organizations, Letting Members Lead: The Mess and Magic of Distributed Organizing, Chewbacca Mom Takeover: The Future of Online Organizing
Panelists
Jessica González-Rojas
Jessica González-Rojas is the Executive Director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, the only national reproductive justice organization that works to advance reproductive health and rights for Latinas. She has been a leader in progressive movements for two decades, successfully forging connections between reproductive health, gender, immigration, LGBTQ liberation, labor and Latino civil rights. She is an authentic voice for Latinas and a regular presence in national media outlets. She holds a Master’s degree from NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a certificate from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. Jessica and NLIRH have been honored for their work by several outlets and organizations, including the National Women’s Law Center, Emily’s List “We are Emily” award in 2017, LatinoJustice PRLDEF’s “Latina Trailblazer” in 2016, Latina Magazine as one of 2014’s “10 Most Inspiring Latina Activists”, Cosmo for Latinas as a “Fun, Fearless Latina” in 2014, the National Council of Jewish Women as a “Champion for Choice” in 2013, LATISM as 2013’s “Best Non-Profit” and by El Diario/La Prensa as one of 2009’s “Mujeres Destacadas” (Women of Honor); she was also recognized on Cosmopolitan’s “2013 Power List” in the October 2013 issue, has been named one of “13 Women of Color to Watch in 2013” by the Center for American Progress.
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Zenen Jaimes Pérez
Zenen is currently the Policy & Advocacy Analyst at United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth led network in the country. He has shared his research and analysis through various publications, online tools, convenings, presentations, and briefings with national, state, and local policy makers. Zenen preciously worked as the Senior Policy Analyst at Generation Progress, the youth-engagement arm of the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC. He has also interned with Advocates for Youth as well as the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. As a first-generation college student, Zenen graduated from Georgetown University in 2013 and he has spent much of his time advocating for education equity for immigrant students. His family is from a small town in Mexico called Palmar Chico.
Nelini Stamp
Nelini Stamp is the National Organizing Director at the Working Families Party. She works with volunteer leaders across the country to build local progressive infrastructure. Nelini joined the New York Working Families Party staff in 2008; door knocking and field organizing for a variety of electoral campaigns across New York State. Since then, she has been deeply involved in social movement work around economic and racial justice across the country. She worked on the ground at Occupy Wall Street to help bridge the gap between labor, community- based organizations and Occupy activists. Afterward, Nelini co-created the Freedom Side and co-founded Dream Defenders in Florida, which organizes and trains youth in non-violent civil disobedience, civic engagement, and direct action. Lately, as a co-builder of WFP’s Resist Here project, which launched #ResistTrumpTuesdays, she has been chasing Senator Schumer around to make sure he stands up to Trump. You can often find her leading marches, rallies and mic-checking at direct actions.
Catalina Velasquez
Catalina is the Executive Director of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN). She holds a M.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of Washington and Bachelors of Science in International Politics: International Law, Norms, & Institutions from Georgetown University. As a Doctoral Candidate in Feminist Political Economy at the University of Washington, Catalina’s research focuses on transnational relations, decolonial methodologies, following forced migration patterns, pursuing refugee justice, across-difference solidarity building, historicizing U.S. and Latin American foreign policy, engaging transgender and queer theory, and tracing political economies.
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