Keynote Speaker
Jacque Larrainzar
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Jacque Larrainzar
Jacque Larrainzar came to the United States from Mexico in 1997, and was the first Mexican lesbian to win political asylum in the United States based on her sexual orientation. Ms. Larrainzar currently lives in San Leandro, California and works as the program analyst for the City of Oakland Department of Race and Equity.
Her work in policy includes leading King County Elections Language program which brought language access to naturalized bilingual citizens in King County, the LGBTQ Immigrant Refugee and Undocumented Outreach Project (IRUO), a research project designed to uncover the barriers faced by LGBTQ immigrants, refugees, and undocumented individuals to accessing behavioral health services. Ms. Larrainzar worked with the City of Seattle Office for Civil Rights for 14 years in different capacities, and was part of the team that started a systemic structural approach to the elimination racism in government, she has also worked as a legal advocate with The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and created many innovative ways for radical knowledge shares for immigrant and refugees. In 2006, Mayor Greg Nickels and The City of Seattle Latino Employees awarded Ms. Larrainzar the “Hispanic Heritage Award” for her efforts and commitment to serve the Latino Community. As a political asylee to the U.S., Ms. Larrainzar is extremely committed to helping immigrant, refugee, and undocumented communities learn to organize for their rights. Specially, those within the Spanish speaking community who have been historically marginalized due to their gender expression, sexual orientation, dialect or language or heritage. |
Speakers
Catalina Rosa Angel, MSW
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Catalina Rosa Angel, MSWCatalina Rosa Angel is from Colombia. In 2009 she arrived in the state of Washington with her husband and daughter, and since then she has worked supporting the families of people with disabilities- specially with those of Latin origin- in organizations like The Arc of Washington.
Catalina graduated with a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington in 2017. Currently she works as a Services Coordinator at Community Homes Inc. a nonprofit organization that provides homes for people with disabilities and workshops for families and other members of the communities. As a Social Worker and a leader in her community, she has vast experience in community outreach and organizing, and with marginal populations as a cultural agent. She offers her passion for inclusion, social justice and her life experience raising her daughter with disabilities in a country she has adopted as her home. |
Panelists
Milvia Berenice Pacheco
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Milvia Berenice Pacheco Salvatierra
My name is Milvia Berenice Pacheco Salvatierra, I am Afrolatina artist born in Caracas-Venezuela, where I began my career as a dancer combining dance and theater training. For more than 12 years, I danced with Danzahoy, with whom i toured to renowned festivals in over 15 countries, including Danzahoy’s “Exodo” season at the Joyce Theatre in NYC (2006). In 2004 I moved to New York City and worked with Rastro Dance Company, B3W/Emily Berry, and Alexandra Beller/Dances. I am also Licensed Massage Practitioner graduated from the Northwest Academy of Healing Arts and a Shiatsu Practitioner graduated from the Ohashiatsu Institute in New York. Since I arrived to Seattle in 2012 I has been collaborating with differents artist and groups: Threshold Ensemble, Gansango Dance company directing by Etienne Cakpo, Paige Barner, Mark Haim, Kiana Harries, Fernando Luna, Claudia Castro Luna and Monica Rojas. My own work as choreographer: KM “0” (2006), ATAJO (2007), The Gender’s Heart)(2008), Palabras Aladas ( 2010) Dueto Azul (2016) Aqua (2018)
Experiences with trauma at an early age fueled in me a pressing drive toward movement. my first brush with the power of movement as a catalyst for healing came during a theater arts project geared toward inner-city youth when I was 13 years old. By the time I was 18, I was sure that healing through movement was my calling. I went on to devote the next twenty-seven years of my life to reaching liberation through art and movement. In this Journey, I have become, a contemporary dancer, choreographer, performer, bodyworker, mother and Community Organizer. My mission is to serve as the conduit for empowerment for myself my family and for others, using my pressing drive toward art, movement, self-expression, and body awareness as an instrument of healing to reach out liberation. Rather than being a victim of the past, I will continue deepening the connection with my roots to facilitate the process of healing and to help the Afro-descendant community to find sustainable ways to share who we are and reclaim an equal rank in our social structure. I am committed to embodying the values of empathy, love, integrity, and collaboration to shape the pathway of this journey of racial equity and personal inner peace. MÁS (Movimiento Afrolatino Seattle) has become the platform where I continue serving as a conduit for empowerment and beyond empowerment for myself and others. |
Rocío Cruz Cervantes
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Rocío Cruz Cervantes
Rocío Cruz Cervantes was born and raised in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. In 2003 she licensed in Social Work at Centro Universitario de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades at the Universidad de Guadalajara. She moved to Seattle in 2005, is married and is the mother of two children.
During her time in Seattle she has worked in the education field, specially with preschool kids, and is a volunteer for community events. Since she moved to Seattle, and for more than six years, she volunteer and was part of the organizing committee of Día de Muertos at Seattle Center. Her collaborations included being their MC, support in workshops coordination, and other activities during the event. In 2007, she worked as an assistant at Hutch Kids Child Care Center, being this one, her first immersion job in English. In 2009, she participated as Therapeutic Childcare worker, for the nonprofit Childhaven, in a program for victims of abuse and negligence. Wanting and needing to be available for the upbringing of her first son, in 2001 she created Sol Spanish Immersion, a small business and a program of Spanish immersion for preschoolers. A year later, she started her job as a teacher in the first and only Spanish coop in Seattle, PCPE. In this school, both of her kids obtained their preschool immersion. In the summer of 2017 the nonprofit organization The Inc. [known before as Women Bussiness Incubator], offer her the opportunity to bring her program Sol Spanish Immersion, to their facilities. Right now, Rocio works as substitute teacher (paraprofessional), in the Seattle school district, usually working on the special education programs, and those of Spanish immersion. |