2023-2024 Movement Building Fellow at Weingart Foundation’s John W Mack Fellows ProgramCommunity Advisory Committee member of the IE Labor & Community Center (IE LCC) at University of CA, Riverside (UCR)

Steer the organization during Executive Director Search Process.Supported the completion of the organization’s first two Independent Audits for FY 2021 and 2022.

Work closely with PEOC’s ED, Staff, and Board to direct day-to-day operations, including the management of staff, contracts, programs, campaigns, offices, infrastructure, and related human-resources tasks. Administer certain aspects of PEOC’s fiscal and fiduciary matters, such as providing oversight over developing financial controls and ensuring compliance with the annual audit process.Collect program and general evaluation data to assist the ED in grant writing and reporting. Assess current organizational programs and practices, streamline internal operating systems, and encourage the creation of new policies and procedures based on identified needs and best practices.Performed role of Acting Executive Director (Feb-April ‘22)

Support PEOC’s ED in providing guidance and supervision to staff; designing, operationalizing, and managing programs; grant writing, fundraising, contract compliance and execution.

Prepare and complete funding proposals to government agencies and foundations, including analysis of eligibility, and funding expectations, analysis of required proposal elements, background research on community need and/or evidence based/best practices, budgeting, writing program narrative and rationale/justification, drafting/collecting supporting materials, completing required forms, and proposal assembly in compliance with funder requirements.Provide leadership and oversight to the proposal development process, including coordination and project design in collaboration with division management.Participate in planning and implementation of fundraising campaigns and events, including drafting and creating content, developing and facilitating timelines, and creating budgets.

Recruited and contracted background extras for freature film project about immigration detention. Managed grant for CA immigrant rights coalition, distributed $85,000 to ~20 organizations, coordinated RFP process, oversaw distribution of funds, and strengthened relationships between coalition and state partners.

Co-led campaign to pass and implement landmark “sanctuary state” legislation, including AB 4, AB 2792, and SB 54, distributing $250,000 to 50+ organizations and $86,600 to 15 county coalitions to support implementation, monitoring, community education and continued advocacy on the issue of local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration authorities.Co-founded and co-led county-wide organizing strategy to stop and reverse the criminalization of immigrants, including planning and executing press conferences, staging community forums, and mobilizing partner organizations and community stakeholders. Campaign tactics and policy victories were later replicated and scaled nationally by the organization.Collaborated with Los Angeles Trade Tech College, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, and local affiliate worker centers in the creation of a workforce development program for middle aged immigrant workers in the construction industry. Assisted in the design of a bilingual curriculum, recruited day labor workers to enroll in the program, and worked closely with community college and labor partners to ensure worker retention and program success.Le​d development of “Chant Down the Walls,” ​a series of concerts staged outside of immigrant detention centers and prisons to bring attention to human rights injustices and challenge the public narrative around immigrants. Communicated directly with local police departments to obtain permits and implement safety protocols.

Investigating and obtaining evidence in connection with unfair labor practice charges, worker discrimination charges, wage and hour complaints, union representation and decertification elections, etc. by traveling throughout the state, interviewing worker witnesses, writing declarations, and coordinating any communication between the workers, the union, and state agencies.Assisting the attorneys with legal research, writing simple motions and briefs, organizing discovery responses, for various ALRB and EEOC cases, as well as class action, and PAGA law suits.Preparing and managing case files, calendaring court deadlines, learning and following court rules and procedures for filing and serving of documents.Supervising administrative staff and internsStudying an average of 18 hours per week in preparation for the First Year Law Students Examination.

Coordinating the DHF Kern County Civic Engagement Program which was responsible for contacting thousands of voters through phoning and door-to-door outreach educating voters to vote Yes on Proposition 30 and No on Proposition 32 in collaboration with the statewide coalition, California Calls.Recruiting 2 teams of 12 people each. Training teams on campaign goals and timeline, coach and supervise team members in using campaign materials, and communicating with voters as effectively and efficiently as possible.Daily briefing of team to review goals & assignments for the day, ensuring accuracy in reporting daily results.Preparing accurate daily team summary reports, maintaining accurate team attendance records, reviewing and approving canvasser timesheets.Meeting with DHF/California Calls staff coordinators to review plans/logistics for the week, assisting in daily briefings and debriefings.

Non-partisan Latino voter engagement effort and creating the infrastructure for future campaigns.Going door to door and talking to members of the community about building solidarity against the hostile anti-immigrant, anti-working class environment in the state.

Recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers to precinct walk, phone-bank, and help re-elect Fernando Armenta, Supervisor for Monterey County District 1.Assuring team work, accountability, and a welcoming environment between the staff, partnering organizations, and volunteers.

Recruiting and training leaders at a newly opened hotel in order to recognize the union and negotiate a contract.Representing and mobilizing workers to solve workplace issues and increasing union membership.Conducting issue resolution meetings with Human Resources Departments at the various union hotels to assure the satisfaction of union members and to answer all their concerns.Investigating and understanding relationships between workers in an underground campaign to create a strategy for organizing, recruiting, and inoculating leaders to prepare them to take their campaign public.Encouraging voters in predominately Latino areas of Phoenix to vote for progressive candidates for the city council elections.

Assisting the Change to Win Labor Federation in their Inland Empire warehouse workers mobilizing efforts as well as the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.Having direct contact with warehouse workers and community members to build the groundwork for a newly born labor movement in the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California).Researching and studying the warehouse and worldwide logistics industry as well as the region’s political, economic, and social landscape.