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Executive Director

Lorena's journey began in New York City. She was born to immigrant parents who valued cultural heritage and community. Growing up amidst diverse cultures sparked her passion for advocacy and social justice. She later moved to the Mississippi Delta, where she grew deep roots and a commitment to marginalized communities. Lorena embraces her heritage while empowering others. In Mississippi, she raises her children with values of resilience and community involvement. As Executive Director of the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity (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 social justice.

Head of Operations

Lauren is a native Mississippian who moved to Jackson to attend college. After the ICE raids, she volunteered to organize with the affected youth. Lauren now works at the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity full-time as the organization’s Operations Manager. She has experience in advocating and organizing around public health safety, herbalism, reproductive justice and healing as abolition. She uplifts language access, water and land sovereignty, 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. With a father born in Mound Bayou, a historically significant town, and an Ecuadorian mother hailing from NYC, these ancestral gifts have shaped her viewpoint of the world around her.

Head of Finance

Leslye, a dynamic Brazilian-American 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, language justice, and equity. Leslye has experienced advocating for the development and maintenance of the highest standards in language interpretation within her work in the state of Mississippi. 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 equity and justice for all.

Head of People and Programs

A first-generation immigrant, Michael grew up in New York City. His humanitarian journey began with the Red Cross, later serving in West Africa with the Peace Corps, and finally landed at the Mississippi Teacher Corps, where he was assigned to teach in the Mississippi Delta. He went on to serve as a recruiter in college admissions at an HBCU. Now at IAJE, he leverages his previous experiences as current Head of People and Programs, empowering team members in their projects, in addition to nurturing and supporting them in their personal and professional growth and development.

Sasha is the Lead Youth Organizer currently working for the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity, the only organization in the state of Mississippi founded by immigrants for immigrants. She is a Mississippi Native currently attending a historic HBCU. 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.

Youth Organizer & Public Health Fellow

Originally from Mexico, Crystal immigrated to the U.S and has lived in Mississippi ever since. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health at a prestigious Jackson, MS HBCU. Where she is a member of its Honors College and serves as historian for the Public Health Student Association and participates in several academic organizations. 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 with the local Run Club, which encourages community to embrace movement through a holistic wellness approach.

Executive Assistant & Office Coordinator

As a first-generation Mexican-American, Kimberly, IAJE’s Office Coordinator, exemplifies the resilience and innovation that are fundamental to the mission of the IAJE. Her role in coordinating activities and schedules within the IAJE community center. Kimberly's dedication enables her to engage authentically with the state's immigrant communities. Kim facilitates new memberships, and presents new members with access to essential community services. Her efforts ensure that the IAJE remains a welcoming hub that cultivates connections and empowers individuals through social justice.

Facilities

Cooper serves as Facilities and Ground Support at IAJE, bringing strong dedication to community service and faith-based engagement to his role in the community center. His role is to ensure that IAJE's physical spaces effectively support the organization's mission of empowering Mississippi's immigrant communities. As a central MS native, his deep understanding of the unique regional context enriches his contributions to IAJE.

Puto is a rich steamed rice cake snack from the Philippines. Usually cheese is added to it, which makes for a tasty treat!

Trakas is a modern Spanish slang term, made popular among younger generations in Latin America. It's a versatile expression that conveys surprise, disbelief, or admiration, depending on the context