Sep 2015 – Present

Youth Leadership Program Instructor / Facilitator

Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) – Los Angeles

As a staff member of CARECEN’s Parent & Youth Center, I co-facilitate CARECEN’s Youth Leadership Program where I teach youth ages 11-18 about political theory, organizing, Central American history, social movements, immigrant and worker rights, and filmmaking, including video editing and production. I also co-created the current 8-month Youth Leadership Program curriculum.

Jan 2015 – August 2017

Lead Organizer / Digital Organizer

Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) – Los Angeles

As a lead organizer, I executed and supervised the implementation of CARECEN’s organizing work plan, which prioritized projects and campaigns that have to do with immigrant rights, refugee rights, education reform, and worker rights. As a digital organizer, I redesigned and managed CARECEN’s new website using Nation Builder, a web management platform that doubles as an online community organizing tool and database. My primary role was to not only manage the website, but also to train CARECEN organizers to use online organizing tools, as well as to update and maintain CARECEN’s social media and online profiles to maximize its presence and community involvement on and offline. Furthermore, as a staff member of CARECEN’s Parent & Youth Center, I also co-facilitated CARECEN’s Youth Leadership Program where I taught youth ages 12-17 how to use digital art and social media as organizing tools to increase awareness about issues related to immigration and worker rights. 

Jan – May 2015

Post-Production & Research Intern

Brave New Films

I edited string-outs on Adobe Premiere Pro for Brave New Films, a non-profit production house and new media company that produces feature-length documentaries and investigative videos “to educate, influence and empower viewers to take action around issues that matters.” I specifically worked on newest BNF’s newest production “Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA”, a political documentary about the National Rifle Association and gun control policies in the United States. I also briefly worked in the research department investigating different topics and assignments for educational outreach purposes.

Aug – Sep 2014

English & Life Skills Teacher

Refugio Unaccompanied Children Shelter and Foster Care Program | Soledad Enrichment Action Inc.

As a teacher for Refugio, a program started to serve young people in immigration custody awaiting family reunification, I was trained to teach English and work with recently migrated Central American youth between the ages of 14-17 years old. During my time with Refugio, I helped design the program’s Life Skills and English Language curriculum, as well as participated in various team and staff meetings with the program’s case managers, clinicians, and youth care workers.

Aug 2013 – Jul 2014

Database and Communications Coordinator

Equal Voice for Southern California Families Alliance (EVSCF)

As database management and communications coordinator for EVSCF, an alliance of 18 community-based non-profit organizations in Southern California united in a mission to fight for economic justice for working-class families, I created and managed EVSCF’s membership database, as well as managed and maintained EVSCF’s website, communications, and social media platforms. I also helped launch EVSCF’s “Sunny Day Fund” campaign to lobby Gov. Jerry Brown to invest in social programs for working-class communities instead of putting California’s budget surplus in our state “rainy day fund”.

Jun – Aug 2013

Region 6 (Nursing Homes) Organizer In-Training

SEIU (Service Employee International Union) ULTCW (United Long Term Care Workers), Local 6434

I worked as an intern in the Nursing Homes Division of the SEIU ULTCW on behalf of the UCLA Labor Center’s Student Leadership Academy organizer training program. As a full-time employee, my tasked included reading and analyzing union contracts, doing facility visits to talk to and recruit workers to join the union, as well as assist in doing house calls and phone-banking for upcoming events and worker training seminars. I also contributed to efforts revolving around the 2013 Dignity Conference, an event organized to bring together all nursing home workers to push forward the ULTCW’s Dignity Campaign, an initiative which aims to provide better quality care, life, and jobs for all represented union members.

Sep 2010 – Jun 2012

Statewide Coordinator – Central Coordinating Committee

Unión Salvadoreña de Estudiantes Universitarios (USEU) – California

I served as the statewide coordinator of the largest organization representing Salvadoran university students in the United States, including chapters at 11 different campuses across the state of California. My responsibilities included the establishment of the statewide structure, the coordination between the established chapters and the expansion of organization throughout the state. Apart from assisting in officially establishing USEU at my home university, I also helped in the establishment of the chapter at UC Davis.  I was also responsible for the execution of statewide projects, such as USEU’s annual high school college fair, electoral delegations, statewide retreats, annual conferences and the summer abroad exchange program with the National University of El Salvador. I also served as a representative of the organization to institutions of the Salvadoran government and community coalitions.

May 2010-June 2012

Library Public Service Assistant

UCLA Young Research Library Special Collections, Los Angeles, California

My tasks included helping preserve UCLA’s rare book collection, which included monitoring and securing the use of rare books and manuscripts, and maintain statistical records of the use of all collections.

Mar – Jun 2011 

Spanish literacy tutor (Internship)

Building Skills Partnership, Los Angeles, California

Using the Leamos computer literacy program, I tutored union workers from the SEIU Local 877 through a pilot program to teach community leaders how to read and write in Spanish.

View my blog about my experience: http://estudianteinla.blogspot.com/

Spring 2009

Union Campaign Organizer (Internship)

Enlace International, Los Angeles, California

I contributed to Enlace’s Seafood Workers campaign, which fought against the outsourcing practices of Korean seafood companies in Rosarito, Mexico. I worked in media relations and data collection, which required me to help produce Enlace’s monthly newsletter and also collect data from seafood supermarkets.

Spring 2004-2006

Clean & Green Student-Service Worker

Clean & Green Los Angeles Conservation Corps,  Los Angeles, California

I started legally working at 13-years-old on the weekends and during my summer breaks doing community service clean-up and volunteer work around L.A. county. My tasks included alley and city block clean-ups, removing graffiti, painting city-sponsored murals, planting trees in local neighborhoods, volunteering at elementary schools, maintaining community gardens, and assisting at local city-sponsored community events.