Who We Are

Founding Executive Director

Lorena's journey began in New York City. She was born to immigrant parents who valued cultural heritage and community. In Mississippi, she raises her children with values of resilience and community involvement. As Executive Director of IAJE, Lorena employs innovative strategies, amplifying unheard voices and fostering recognition and respect for all. The many rich experiences and stories from her lived experiences inform her resilience, innovation, and dedication required for the strong leadership in IAJE’s fight for community empowerment.

Director of Operations and Culture

Lauren is a native Mississippian who moved to the capitol city to attend college. Lauren now works at IAJE full-time as the organization’s Operations Director. She has experience in community organizing around public health safety, student’s rights, reproductive justice, and cultural youth-led projects. She uplifts language access, somatic health awareness, baking therapy and cultural organizing through a Black feminist lens while implementing popular education through the arts at IAJE. Lauren has a multicultural and multi-ethnic background, and was raised in opposite spectrums: a Metropolitan area and the rural Mississippi Delta. Her ancestral gifts have shaped her viewpoint of the world around her.

Director of Finance & Administration

Leslye, a dynamic individual who grew up in the culturally rich city of Miami, serves as the Head of Finance at IAJE. Her work at IAJE places her firmly at the crucial intersections of health access, immigrant rights, and language sovereignty. She is trilingual, and ensures that community members whose first language is not English receive the essential information they need to make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Her unwavering passion for her work plays a vital role in ensuring that IAJE is fully able to continue its steadfast commitment to creating sustainable futures for all.

Director of Personnel and Programs

Michelle is a lifelong community activist dedicated to advancing reproductive justice in Mississippi. For more than 25 years, she has challenged restrictive health laws and mobilized communities to defend body autonomy through protests, civic engagement, and grassroots fundraising. In 2022, Michelle was selected as a Rockwood Reproductive Health and Reproductive Justice Fellow, part of the first post-Roe v. Wade/Dobbs cohort, and was also recognized as a member of the Frontline 40. She is the co-founder of SHERo Mississippi, and holds both a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science. Outside of her advocacy work, she is an animal lover and a fan of GoT.

Promotora Program Manager

Elba Davidson is a sixth-generation Mississippian with a passion for seeing her home state live into its nickname as “the Hospitality State”. Ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church, she loves to connect faith communities with opportunities to engage in ethical, meaningful community building and justice efforts alongside their neighbors. Elba is an L.M.S.W. with an emphasis on community organizing. She brings a decade of experience serving in faith communities and nonprofits in Jackson, Mississippi in roles focused on education, reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ and gender justice. As Promotora Manager at IAJE, Elba works at the intersection between Public Policy & Public Health programming to support the dissemination of equitable and inclusive educational efforts within immigrant communities in Mississippi.

Digital Security and Mobilization Manager

As a Vietnamese-American, Jeannie holds a deep appreciation for culture, community, and minority voices. As IAJE’s Digital Security and Mobilization Manager she supports the organization by managing systems to aid the team’s communication, organization, and information technology security, ensuring that IAJE’s technical infrastructure matches its mission and values. As the relationship between tech and community grows, Jeannie is committed to bridging gaps between generations, cultures, people, and the tools they need to thrive.

Program Specialist

Sasha is the former Lead Youth Organizer now turned Program Specialist for PYOMS currently working for IAJE, the only organization in the state of Mississippi founded by immigrants for immigrants. She is a Mississippi native currently attending pursuing a degree in law. She strives to promote and encourage youth engagement in the state of Mississippi and focuses her work on amplifying the voices of youth in Jackson. She has contributed to her work by creating advanced curriculums for fellowships under the Progressive Youth of MS. As a creative, Sasha has added to the beauty of the IAJE facilities.

Language Support

Originally from Mexico, Crystal has lived in Mississippi during her formative years and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health in her Honors College at a prestigious HBCU. At IAJE, Crystal engages young people in civic education and works with Promotoras de salud, hosting bi-weekly discussions on preventive health and emotional intelligence. Her bilingual fluency in English and Spanish allows her to effectively support English learners in her community. When not working or studying, Crystal stays active and encourages her community to embrace movement through a holistic wellness approach.

Communications Coordinator

Daniela is the former PYOMS Photographer & Comms Lead now turned Comms Coordinator. Born and raised in Mississippi, she is currently attending college and exploring a path in medicine. Her passions lie in the art of making music and photography. She has an eye for capturing life’s moments in their most raw and beautiful form.

Executive Assisstant

Julien was born in the midwest and moved to the city of Jackson at the age of 5 with his mother. He is a product of Jackson Public Schools and graduated from Tougaloo with an AA and BA in History. He strives for liberation of all oppressed people and wants to champion marginalized voices not only in Mississippi, but expanding across the global south.

Lead Promotora

I am a Promotora from South Jackson. I joined the program because it aligned with the standards I was looking for in my work as a medical doctor from the Dominican Republic, and because God brought me here. I enjoy it because I can help the community with information, education, and help link them with resources, whether for food, water, diapers, or socio-economic support.

Director of Policy