Alianza for Opportunity

Shoutout to our Executive Director! 🩵

Hernán serves as the Executive Director of Alianza for Opportunity and Founder of Healing Ninjas. He is fluent in Spanish and English and specializes in juvenile criminal justice policy analysis, community organizing, and youth-adult partnerships, focusing on uplifting Chicanx, Latinx, Afro-Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ leadership. His initiatives address mass incarceration, empowering young leaders, and promoting inclusivity nationwide.

Read the rest of his bio at forwardpromise.org/fellowship-leaders/

We completed an incredible 2-day Youth Leadership Institute with 19 inspiring leaders from California! ✨

These passionate individuals represented organizations from throughout the state, bringing diverse perspectives and boundless energy. Together, we explored leadership, community engagement, and the power of youth voices. 🙌🏾

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and made this event unforgettable. The future is bright with leaders like you!

Artist Spotlight ✨ Victoria Villasana

Victoria Villasana is a textile, installation, and street artist from Mexico. Her work primarily explores interconnection, with themes of the visionaries creating positive change throughout history, pop culture, social causes, and our reconnection with nature. Through pattern, geometry and color, she weaves intricate visual stories which reflect the resilience and triumph of the human spirit.

Influenced by history, culture and human relationships in a fragmented post-digital world, the bold dynamism of her work is revealed in uncut thread: breaking the frame, it lends a surreal and unfinished aesthetic that reflects the importance of acceptance of change, evolution and imperfection. Villasana’s approach to textile is sensitive and intuitive.

Check out more of her art
https://victoriavillasana.com/

This month’s community spotlight is Alma Mireles! ✨

Alma is the At-risk Intervention & Mentoring Program Coordinator at the Denver Youth Program/GRASP (Gang Rescue And Support Project), the only hospital-based violence intervention program in the Rocky Mountain Region. Alma provides bedside interventions, trauma-informed advocacy, and resources to youth and families in the Denver Metro Area, with a special focus on the Spanish-speaking community.

As a Mexicana-Indigenous woman, mother of 4, and grandmother of 5, Alma believes in the power of change because she lives it. With a degree in Paralegal Studies, she is also a Moral Recognition Therapy Facilitator, a Violence Intervention Professional, a Traditional Medicine Practitioner, a community organizer, and activist. She is a member of HAVI, a former gang member, and has been in recovery for 18 years. Alma’s dedication and resilience make her a true leader. 🙌🏽

Stay tuned for more community spotlights! 🌟

As of 2021, Latinx youth were 16% more likely to be detained or committed in juvenile facilities compared to their white peers.

Over the past decade, incarceration disparities between Latinx and white youth have significantly declined, though disparities still exist. Between 2011 and 2021, juvenile placements fell by 59% overall, with Latinx youth placements declining by 65% compared to 57% for white youth.

To learn more about the state of — and disparities in— youth incarceration check out this report by The Sentencing Project ⬇️
https://www.sentencingproject.org/fact-sheet/latinx-disparities-in-youth-incarceration/

Artist Spotlight ✨ Camila Rosa ()

Camila Rosa is a Brazilian artist and illustrator living in Brooklyn, NY. She began her artistic journey in 2010 with a female street art collective. Known for her colorful illustrations, Camila explores emotions and social issues from an alternative perspective. Inspired by punk rock, street art, and political movements, her work blends Latin-American influences and her views on women’s liberation.

Through her unique style, Camila invites viewers to think about identity and social justice. Her illustrations, full of vibrant colors and bold symbols, have been shown in galleries worldwide. She’s also collaborated with clients like Apple, Nike, The New York Times, and Adidas, among others, reaching wider audiences.

Check out more of her art
https://www.camilarosa.net/

In honor of Disability Pride Month, we want to spotlight Jilian Mercado! Jilian is a award-winning Latinx disabled model, actor, and advocate for inclusivity in the beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries. She’s appeared in a multitude of fashion campaigns, including for Diesel, Target, Nordstrom, and even Beyoncé’s merch!

Follow her journey ➡️

Feliz Cumpleaños a la Reina Sylvia Rivera 🏳️‍⚧️👑

Sylvia Rivera was a Trans Latinx activist who fought tirelessly for LGBTQIA+ rights. As a veteran of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, she battled against the exclusion of transgender people from New York’s Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act and championed the rights of people of color, low-income people, q***r and trans people

Her legacy lives on through The Sylvia Rivera Law Project, continuing her impactful work. Follow them at 🩵

Claudia Sheinbaum recently made history as the first woman and first Jewish person elected president of Mexico! 🇲🇽

Her groundbreaking victory is a major step forward in a country with a strong culture of machismo and high rates of violence against women. As a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, she’s set to make her mark on Mexico's climate and immigration policies starting October 1st.

Read more ⬇️
https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/claudia-sheinbaum-mexicos-first-female-president

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's Sustainability Story Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's first female and Jewish president, aims to revolutionise the country's energy policy with a strong focus on sustainability

Guided by culture, community, and healing, we seek to foster thriving communities and empower individuals to reclaim their narratives, advocate for justice, and become agents of change. 💙 💚

Through strategic partnerships, research-driven advocacy, and inclusive programming, we aim to create a more just and equitable society where all individuals can thrive.

Stay tuned for our new website!
https://alianzaforopportunity.org/

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Guiados por la cultura, la comunidad y los principios de curación, buscamos impulsar comunidades prósperas y empoderar a las personas para que reclamen sus narrativas, defiendan la justicia y se conviertan en agentes de cambio. 💙 💚

A través de asociaciones estratégicas, la promoción basada en la investigación y la programación inclusiva, nuestro objetivo es crear una sociedad más justa y equitativa en la que todas las personas puedan prosperar.

With over 500,000 people expected to directly benefit, this is a win for undocumented families across the country, and the Latinx community is among those most impacted.

As always, before major elections, immigration is a hot topic to mobilize the coveted Latinx vote. We celebrate those who benefit while continuing to fight for meaningful solutions for all. Our communities need true, inclusive opportunities to live without fear, that go far beyond political headlines. ✊🏾✊🏽✊🏿✊🏼

Small Step Could Bring Big Relief to Young Undocumented Immigrants A new Biden administration measure enables “Dreamers” to get work visas that could free them from relying on the DACA program, whose survival is in doubt.

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

Here are just a few of the many Latinx activists making an impact by advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and raising awareness.

Swipe to discover ✨

🌈 ***ractivism ***rpride ***rlatina

Alianza for Opportunity is dedicated to fostering thriving Latine/x, Afro-Latine/x, and Indigenous communities rooted in dignity, healing, and opportunity. Through narrative change, research initiatives, and grassroots mobilization, we dismantle systemic oppression, advancing racial and economic justice to drive transformative change.

We have evolved our mission to best meet the current needs of our diverse, dynamic community as we work to dismantle systemic oppression, advance racial and economic justice, and drive transformative change.



Together, let’s paint a brighter future for our Latine/x, Afro-Latine/x, and Indigenous communities.

——⬇️ SPANISH CAPTION ⬇️——

Alianza for Opportunity se dedica a fomentar comunidades latinas/x, afrolatinas/x e indígenas prósperas arraigadas en la dignidad, la curación y las oportunidades. A través del cambio narrativo, iniciativas de investigación y movilización de base, desmantelamos la opresión sistémica, promoviendo la justicia racial y económica para impulsar un cambio transformador.

Hemos evolucionado nuestra misión para satisfacer mejor las necesidades actuales de nuestra comunidad diversa y dinámica mientras trabajamos para desmantelar la opresión sistémica, promover la justicia racial y económica e impulsar un cambio transformador.



Juntos, pintemos un futuro mejor para nuestras comunidades latinas/x, afrolatinas/x e indígenas.

Forced labor under threat of punishment. Hourly wages under a dollar. Choosing between food or personal items. These are the conditions incarcerated workers face. The Legal Aid Society collected 400 letters from prisoners as part of New York’s 13th Forward campaign, advocating for the No Slavery in New York Act. Many of NY’s incarcerated workers — identified only by their initials to protect them from retaliation — are employed by Corcraft, earning between ten and 65 cents an hour, wages unchanged for over 30 years. In California, a proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit involuntary servitude in CA prisons passed a key vote yesterday, advancing one step closer to the November ballot.

Read more ⬇️
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/they-slave-us-prison-workers-on-life-behind-bars.html

‘They Slave Us’: Prison Workers on Life Behind Bars A campaign is underway to get New York to ban involuntary prison labor.

It has been 159 years since the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, yet hundreds of thousands of people are still living in involuntary servitude due to the “exception clause,” which bars slavery except for people who have been convicted of crimes. This clause encouraged the criminalization and re-enslavement of Black people during the Jim Crow era, and we still feel its impacts today in the disproportionate incarceration of Black and Brown community members.

76% of the US’ 800,000 incarcerated workers face punishment— such as solitary confinement, loss of good time credit, and loss of family visitation— if they decline to work.

Incarcerated workers often have no control over their work assignments, lack minimum wage and overtime protections, cannot unionize or take sick days, receive inadequate equipment and are forced to work in dangerous conditions.

Some states, like Arkansas and Texas, pay nothing for this coerced labor; others pay between 10 and 52 cents per hour, with huge portions withheld for fines and fees. Despite all their hard work, 70% of incarcerated workers can’t afford basic necessities like soap and phone calls, as the cost of commissary items continues to rise.

TAKE ACTION ⬇️
This , check out the links below to learn more about modern-day slavery in jails and prisons.

📑 https://www.aclu.org/publications/captive-labor-exploitation-incarcerated-workers

📑 https://www.aclu.org/news/human-rights/captive-labor-stories-of-involuntary-servitude

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We are entering our GROWTH ERA!

Swipe to discover our updated mission rooted in dignity, healing, and opportunity.

Click the LINK IN BIO to learn more about our new mission. 🧡

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¡Estamos entrando en nuestra ERA DE CRECIMIENTO!

Desliza para descubrir nuestra nueva misión, fundada en dignidad, curación y oportunidades.

Haz clic en el LINK IN BIO para saber más sobre nuestra nueva misión.

We are entering our GROWTH ERA!

Discover our updated mission rooted in dignity, healing, and opportunity.

Click to learn more about our new mission 🧡
https://alianzaforopportunity.org/

This is not just a logo; it's a proclamation of our identity, values, and mission. It's a symbol of inclusivity, diversity, and our power to not only dismantle systemic oppression but also come together to build the world we envision.

Join us in this new journey toward transformation, growth, and healing for the Latine/x, Afro-Latine/x, and Indigenous communities.

💚💙Click to learn more 💚💙
https://www.alianzaforopportunity.org/

-----⬇️ SPANISH CAPTION ⬇️------

Este no es solo un logo; es una proclamación de nuestra identidad, valores y misión. Es un símbolo de inclusión, diversidad y nuestro poder no sólo para desmantelar la opresión sistémica, sino también para unirnos y construir el mundo que visionamos.

Únete a nuestro nuevo impulso hacia la transformación, el crecimiento y la sanación de las comunidades Latine, Afro-Latine, e Indígenas.

Haz clic para saber más.
https://www.alianzaforopportunity.org/

A huge congratulations to our friend and colleague Dr. Guillermo Rodriguez, who recently passed his oral defense for his Doctors in Social Work! We are so proud of you! And love and appreciate you so much. Congratulations on this amazing milestone.

A few words from our Executive Director:

“Dr. Rodriguez, who I’ve gotten to know as a friend and colleague at Alianza has offered more than just his wisdom and expertise within the organization, he has led healing círculos for our interns and provided me with so much support and validation as a first time executive director. Over the last year, Dr. Rodriguez has held so much space for the many challenges that we faced individually and as an organization. He has always shown up with grace, a smile, and with affirming words to always remind us of just how powerful we all are. His journey, which he proudly shares, serves as an inspiration and reminds all of us that with perseverance and faith you can conquer any obstacle. Happy Birthday, congratulations on this milestone hermano! It is an honor to work with you and call you a friend and comrade in this work! We are so excited to continue working with you and having your expertise and presence at Alianza. Fuerte abrazo!”

Meet our staff! Priscilla Amao, a dedicated advocate for positive change, brings her unwavering commitment and wealth of experience to our organization. As the Youth Partnerships Manager at Alianza for Youth Justice, she leverages her expertise to address systemic issues within the juvenile justice system. Priscilla is also in her final year of the Master of Social Work (MSW) program, specializing in youth justice, mental health, and the well-being of marginalized communities.
Her extensive background encompasses over 15 years of service in various supportive and supervisory roles within nonprofit organizations. In her current role as a Psychiatric Social Worker Intern at Monterey County Behavioral Health (MCBH), she continues to make a meaningful impact. Priscilla’s vision includes pursuing a Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) to deepen her expertise and drive tangible change through research, advocacy, and leadership. Her journey is a testament to the power of determination and the relentless pursuit of social justice, values she passionately embodies in her role at our organization.

Meet our staff !
Allison Jordan is one of the interns at Alianza for Youth Justice. She is a student parent in her last year of the three-year pathway for the Masters of Social Work program at Cal State University Monterey Bay. Allison received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2020.
Allison works as a lead rehabilitation staff at a locked inpatient psychiatric care facility in Santa Cruz. She is passionate about social justice and mental health and is very much looking forward to beginning a career in social work.

Meet our staff !
This is our student intern Lillyana Sanchez. Currently, she is enrolled in the two-year pathway for the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Her post-graduation objectives include obtaining her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification, pursuing a Ph.D. in Chicano studies, and continuing her advocacy efforts within the Latino community.

***Live Webinar with Spanish Translation***

Join us on February 27th at 1pm EST for a panel discussion titled, “Empowering the Latinx Nonprofit Sector: Opportunities and Initiatives.”

Our Executive Director, will be on a panel with Amparo Díaz & Bren Spector of .co and Bayoán Rosselló-Cornier of , to unpack what being Latine in the nonprofit sector has been like and an opportunity to shares ways to continue building the power of our comunidad.

We look forward to being part of this conversation and hope that many of you will join us!

Link to register in BIO.

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***Seminario web en vivo con traducción al español***

Únase a nosotros el 27 de febrero a la 1 p.m. EST para un panel de discusión titulado “Empoderar al sector sin fines de lucro Latinx: oportunidades e iniciativas”.

Nuestro Director Ejecutivo, estará en un panel con Amparo Díaz y Bren Spector de .co y Bayoán Rosselló-Cornier de , para analizar cómo ha sido ser latino en el sector sin fines de lucro y una oportunidad para compartir formas de Continuar construyendo el poder de nuestra comunidad.

¡Esperamos ser parte de esta conversación y esperamos que muchos de ustedes se unan a nosotros!

Enlace para registrarse en BIO.

Join us on February 27th at 1pm EST for a panel discussion titled, “Empowering the Latinx Nonprofit Sector: Opportunities and Initiatives.”

Our Executive Director, will be on a panel with Amparo Díaz & Bren Spector of .co and Bayoán Rosselló-Cornier of , to unpack what being Latine in the nonprofit sector has been like and an opportunity to shares ways to continue building the power of our comunidad.

At Alianza we hope to continue connecting to more Latine leaders across sectors to build an intergenerational and intersectional movement that transforms communities and builds the power of Latine, Afro-Latine, and Indigenous leaders in the justice movement.

We look forward to being part of this conversation and hope that many of you will join us!

Link to register in BIO.