EVELIN URRUTIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREvelin first joined Tenants and Workers United as a member of its youth program. She later became the lead youth organizer. Through the efforts of her cohort of young leaders, Alexandria City HS hired a bilingual counselor for the student body and implemented Individual Career and Academic Plans to help all students in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) be college ready. She also piloted the Community Organizing and Education for Democracy (COED) program. COED graduates are currently enrolled in college, traveling the world and looking for ways to contribute to their community through their education and career. After 12 years as the lead organizer for TWU youth, in 2016 she became the Executive Director of TWU. As a member of the directly impacted community TWU serves, Evelin fully understands the people she works with and the issues facing low-income immigrant communities of color in Northern Virginia. Evelin lives in Prince William County, has two sons and a daughter, and studied Business Management at Northern Virginia Community College. [email protected]

INGRIS MORAN, LEAD ORGANIZERIngris joined the Tenants and Workers United youth group when she was a high school freshman. In 2007-2008, she worked with New Virginia Majority to coordinate teams of canvassers that encouraged local residents to vote. She believes in the values of the organizations and jumps into the work wholeheartedly. In 2012, she graduated from Northern Virginia Community College. In 2015, she earned a B.A. in sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She understands community organizing and the value of leadership development. She enjoys organizing youth and adults to win policy changes in our schools and our City of Alexandria. [email protected]

MIA TAYLOR, DEVELOPMENT LEADMia is a former ESL teacher who became an organizer to combat the inequities and injustices her students and their families faced. In 2016, she began organizing with TWU in Alexandria City and Woodbridge, focusing on education justice, Driver’s Licenses for All, and ending local collaboration with ICE. Today, Mia does research and development, working on campaign research, grant writing, fundraising, and other behind-the-scenes support. [email protected]

MARIANELA FUNES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER (SOUTH FAIRFAX COUNTY)

EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS FELLOW, HOUSING JUSTICE PROGRAMMarianela was a teacher for over 10 years before joining TWU as an organizer. She has her bachelor's in Math and Education from the University of El Salvador, and a certificate in Early Childhood Education from NOVA. She has a passion for creative arts, specifically theater, poetry, and plastic arts. Community organizing allows her to combine her passions for education and art, working to build people power and advance social justice for our community. [email protected]

SINDY CARBALLO GARCIA, YOUTH ORGANIZERSindy is a 2020 graduate from Alexandria City High School and a longtime TWU youth leader. She is currently a student at NOVA Community College where she is pursuing a career in special education. For the past 3 years, she has worked on housing and immigration justice and been a leader in our education justice campaigns in Alexandria City. Now, as a youth organizer, she channels her passion for youth engagement and social justice to continue ensuring that young people lead this work and have their voices heard as we advance education equity in Alexandria City and across Northern Virginia. [email protected]

NATHALY ZELAYA, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERNathaly immigrated from El Salvador just 6 years ago. In 2021, she graduated from Crossland High School in Maryland and is currently pursuing a bachelor's in elementary education at Prince George Community College. Through working at TWU, she hopes to learn more about the community's needs and be able to help people meet while simultaneously organizing for systemic changes. [email protected]

RINA RIOS, SERVICE NAVIGATOR

Rina immigrated from El Salvador, where she studied at the University of Geraldo Barrios. She has two sons and lives in Prince William County with her family. She is passionate about helping her community and helping to meet people's needs. When the pandemic hit, she deepened her engagement with Tenants and Workers United to support her community through the unprecedented challenges they faced. Now, she works as a service navigator in Prince William County, where she can continue pursuing her passion for helping others. [email protected]

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MARITZA MEJIA PAZ, SERVICE NAVIGATOR

 

Maritza was born in El Salvador and graduated from Gerardo Barrios University with a degree in legal sciences and economics. For six years, she worked for the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. She immigrated to the United States in 2017. She is a single mother to her six-year-old daughter. She likes being able to help people and feels overjoyed to work with TWU. [email protected]

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VALERIA MARIN, DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

Valeria was born and raised in Prince George County, MD. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and she currently lives in Hyattsville, MD. She recently graduated from Marymount University with a degree in communications and a minor in marketing. Her favorite things to do are trying out new places to eat and spending quality time with her friends. She loves her two amazing dogs, Dexter and Junior, and hopes to travel a lot in the future. She is passionate about the work that TWU does with immigrant communities, and she wants to utilize social media as a tool for elevating the voices of those most impacted by injustice and those on the forefronts of the fight for racial equity. For questions about communications or social media, please email [email protected].