James McGovern, U.S. Representative, Massachusetts 2nd District

Full bio here. In addition to a decades-long career of serving in Congress and advocating for just policies throughout the Americas, Congressman McGovern recently joined Alianza Americas on a fact-finding delegation to Honduras and El Salvador to build legal defense and legislative supports for Central American asylum seekers and migrants, including Temporary Protected Status holders, in the US.

Jesús “Chuy” García, Nominee for U.S. Congress, Illinois 4th District

Garcia has a long history of involvement with community organizing and local politics.  He was elected to the Chicago City Council in 1986, and in 1992 became the first Mexican-American member of the Illinois State Senate. A progressive and a reformer, Garcia supports continued investment for local community development, humane immigration policies and expansive healthcare.

Dante Barry, Executive Director, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice 

Dante Barry has contributed as a thought leader and writer on human rights, community organizing, and democracy. He is co-founder of Million Hoodies for Justice, a human rights organization doing leadership development, grassroots organizing, and advocacy with chapters in high schools and college campuses across the country.

Pedro Kumamoto Aguilar, former member of Mexican Congress, State of Jalisco

In 2015, Pedro Kumamoto became the first independent candidate to win a seat in the Congress of Jalisco and recently ran for Senate in Mexico’s 2018 General Election.  During his campaigns, Kumamoto relied on private donations and a robust online presence to rally his support.  Kumamoto is a member of the group Wikipolitica, a network of young activists based throughout Mexico who promote civic activism and government transparency.

Óscar Martínez, Investigative reporter and editor for El Faro

Throughout his career as an investigative journalist, Oscar Martinez has provided in-depth coverage of Central American migration across Mexico and exposing the abuses migrants suffer during their journeys. His reporting project “El Camino”, which documented mass kidnappings, rape, and human trafficking, was eventually published in 2013 as a book called The Beast.  Martinez has also reported extensively on extrajudicial killings by police in El Salvador.

Rossana Rodríguez, Puerto Rican and Albany Park activist.

Rossanna is an educator, mother and activist who has been leading organizing efforts in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago for a decade.  She has worked with immigrant families fighting for rent control, quality public education and police accountability. She is running for 33rd Ward Alderman on a “neighborhoods for the many” agenda, including social, racial and economic justice.

Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, Migration Advocacy Director from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

As Program Director for Migration Policy, Alaide coordinates with faith groups and experts in affected communities to advocate for fair and compassionate immigration policies.  Alaide is a DREAMer who became a U.S. citizen in 2014, and has testified in the Kansas legislature for state-level protections for immigrant communities.

Lupi Quinteros-Grady, President and CEO, Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) and District 2 Board of Education Director, Prince George County

Lupi Quinteros-Grady has worked in the field of youth development for 19 years, implementing a variety of programs such as Upward Bound, workforce programs, and AmeriCorps. She was appointed to the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism from 2008-2010 and is a graduate of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington’s future executive directors fellowship program. In 2014, she was elected to represent District 2 on the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Board of Education. She received a master’s degree in bilingual and special education from the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Goucher College. She has been leading LAYC’s Maryland sites since 2016.