Director of Community Mobilization
mariaelena [at] latinainstitute [dot] org
Maria Elena is responsible for increasing Latina’s participation in the Reproductive Justice Movement through the Latinas Organizing for Leadership and Advocacy (LOLA) Training Series, the Latina Advocacy Networks (LANs), and the Institute’s participation in cross-movement initiatives such as the Southwest Partnership.
Maria Elena’s public interest work began when she was as young as nine, advocating for family and friends in the public benefits system. In college she was actively involved on campus and her involvement in sexual health and reproductive rights led her to pursue a Master of Social Work degree. After obtaining her MSW, Maria Elena worked at Cabrini Immigrant Services and Make the Road New York, advocating for Latinas and their families and coordinating different program areas. Additionally, Maria Elena has been involved in organizing against gender based violence. In 2006, Maria Elena was selected to participate in the National Women’s Law Center’s Progressive Leadership and Advocacy Network and was also selected as an Immigrant Advocacy Fellow through an innovative leadership initiative sponsored by the New York Immigration Coalition and the Social Justice Leadership Collaborative. Maria Elena, a native New Yorker, holds a Master of Social Work degree from the Hunter College School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University.
