Our team

Meet the team: Montserrat Castro-Gomez

Meet Montserrat Castro-Gomez, Public Policy Fellow Where are you from?  I was born and raised in QuerĆ©taro, MĆ©xico.  Where do you feel most at home? Driving through the Mexican Federal Highway 57 (Carretera San Luis PotosĆ­ – QuerĆ©taro), the Atlantic coast of MĆ©xico, and having a meal with either of my […]

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Meet the team: Damary Rodriguez

Meet Damary Rodriguez, Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator  Where are you from?  Iā€™m originally from New York (Brooklyn) but live in Pennsylvania now. Where do you feel most at home? By the water whether itā€™s a beach, lake, pool, or river! What inspires you, professionally and personally? Helping survivors heal and […]

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Cusp is a reminder of how far we have left to go

By Yasmin Campos-Mendez, Public Policy Manager I attended the SHOWTIME special preview screening of Cusp at the SVA Theater in New York City, on October 27, 2021, hosted by Social Impact Initiatives (Film + TV) director, Locsi FerrĆ”. The screening was in commemoration of International Day of the Girl, and was […]

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Meet the team: Yasmin Campos-Mendez

Meet Yasmin Campos-Mendez, Public Policy Manager Where are you from?   I am originally from a small town in the central valley of California, called Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is a very small and rural town, where most of the population is Latin@ and Spanish speaking. Ivanhoe is in Tulare County, California, and […]

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Unveiling Esperanza United’s mural for Hispanic Heritage Month

Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza) is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by unveiling a new mural inspired by our community. This breathtaking painting was created by a group of Latin@ artists who asked youth, advocates, and community leaders what being a woman and Esperanza United means to them. It now hangs […]

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NLN member spotlight: Violence Intervention Program

Formerly Casa de Esperanza, we are now Esperanza United, and to honor our past, we are continuing to refer to our constituent email list as the ā€˜National Latin@ Network.ā€™ As part of our series highlighting National Latin@ Network members, meet an organization making a difference in the lives of survivors. In […]

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Meet the team: Irene Ochoa

Meet Irene Ochoa, Senior Family Advocate  Where are you from? Iā€™m from Chihuahua, Mexico. Where do you feel most at home?  I feel at home in Minnesota where my family is. Three of my children and grandchildren are here. I also feel at home in Chihuahua because my oldest, my father […]

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Policy Manager Olivia Garcia looking up smiling at President Biden who is greeting her

The VOCA Fix: Bill Signing Day at the White House

By Olivia Garcia, Ph.D. Policy advocacy has two speeds: slow and really fast. Legislation and system change is typically a long game that can take years before a small, minor piece falls into place that allows greater movement. Yesterday was an exceptional day because, after years of advocacy efforts with lawmakers, […]

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Meet the Team: Jenny Lee

Meet Jenny Lee, Finance Director Where are you from?Ā  I was born in Australia and my father moved us to the United States (I was 5 years old) to be closer to family.Ā  We spent a couple months in California and came to Minnesota. Iā€™ve been in Minnesota since. Where do […]

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