Dayana Lopez

Dayana Lopez

Dayana Lopez

Dayana Lopez

Organizing Director

Dayana focuses on engaging and empowering community members to pursue social justice. Through such efforts, she provides them with the tools to make a difference in their society. Educating the folks about their capabilities and power is essential in the work she strives to do.

Dayana’s inclination to improve underrepresented disenfranchised groups led her to give back to her neighborhood. Her experience with Central Valley Freedom highlighted the lack of education and resources rural regional areas face. Through the creation of workshops, she seeks to bring awareness to the regions targeting issues such as voter registration and youth empowerment.

Dayana holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno in Sociology and a certificate in applied Sociological Research. In her free time, she enjoys a hot cup of tea and a good book.

Angel Ruiz

Angel Ruiz

Angel Ruiz

Angel Ruiz

Community Organizer, Tulare

As a Community Organizer in Tulare County, Angel strives for community-based empowerment. By educating the community on local, state, and federal policies that affect them and providing the community with the right tools to solve their issue, no matter how big or small the problem may be. Angel teaches the community that their participation in government matters because people hold the power when it comes to education, infrastructure, and public goods and services. 

Before joining DHF, Angel worked at a few internships where he became involved in different levels of government. During Gavin Newsom’s 2018 campaign for Governor, Angel became an effective amplifier of the campaign’s message at town halls and rallies where he eagerly engaged with attendees, turning undecided voters into supporters and supporters into volunteers. He also interned with Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel from California’s 45th District and Councilwoman Nury Martinez from Los Angeles’ 6th District.

Angel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government from California State University, Northridge. He also holds a Certificate in Translation and Interpreting from California State University, Los Angeles. Angel reads World Politics, analyzing policy change in Latin America. Some of the publications he reads regularly include The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time magazine. In addition, he stays informed about public policy by reading important documents like the California state budget, The Mueller Report, and Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Angel also enjoys walking daily, listening to music and playing with his dogs Coco, Bruce, and Yogi.

Cecilia Delgado

Cecilia Delgado

Cecilia Delgado

Cecilia Delgado

Community Organizer, South Kern

Cecilia Delgado is proud a Community Organizer for Lamont and Arvin chapters and work with a majority of people who are Spanish-speaking fieldworkers. Her greatest passion in life is helping others in need. As a member of the Bakersfield chapter of Vecinos Unidos, Cecilia advocated for the summer school program at BCSD because her children attended every year and she believes that every day counts when it comes to giving students a quality education. She has also advocated for safety improvements for her neighborhood like adding stop signs, cleaning vacant lots, and collecting signatures to request speed bumps. As a trusted community member, people reach out to her for guidance if they’re unsure about something or if they have questions.

Cecilia is originally from Colima, Mexico. She came to California when she was 6 years old. She is the oldest of 4, grew up in East Los Angeles, moved to Bakersfield in 2006 and has lived here since. Cecilia brings over 20 years of experience working with Housing Authority in housing development, low income public housing, section 8, and special programs housing the homeless. She has always been a curious person which makes her a great problem solver. She believes that people are comfortable with the status quo because they don’t know how to ask for change. If she sees something wrong, she’s definitely going to speak up and empower others to advocate for themselves.

When she’s not working, she has volunteered her time helping at schools, homeless shelters, and community clean-ups. In her free time, she likes to relax and rest away from technology and her home. She enjoys photography, mostly taking photos of her children. She has visited several states in Mexico and plans to continue her travels and learn more about her culture. She’s married and has a daughter and son and encourages them to pursue their education and dreams.

Luisa Quezada

Luisa Quezada

Luisa Quezada

Luisa Quezada

Community Organizer, Lindsay

As the Community Organizer, Luisa oversees the Lindsay and Woodlake chapters. Her greatest passion is to share the knowledge she acquires to help those in need. Through her involvements in El Quinto Sol de America, PIQUE, Parenting classes, Peace, La Segunda Taza de Café, Parenting Network, Abriendo Puerta, School Site Council, DELAC, and CAPS, it is apparent that she has been able to share her passion with the community. Some of the efforts she has participated in are gathering signatures, encouraging the district to stop spraying Chlorpyrifos around schools, and helping organize the Women’s Conference of El Quinto Sol de America.

Luisa, a former Vecina Unida, witnessed first hand the educational inequalities children with special needs face. She felt the urgency to organize around the issue and help educate community members to advocate for those who are underrepresented. She also strives to promote education and health equity among schools in search of social justice.

As a mother, she encourages and supports her children’s dreams to pursue their goals. She also teaches them about the importance of the richness of the Mexican culture, heritage, and traditions.

Olga Loza

Olga Loza

Olga Loza

Olga Loza

Community Organizer, Fresno

Olga Loza organizes and empowers the rural communities of Sanger and Parlier, CA whereas she trains, educates and inspires folks to pursue policy advocacy and equitable systemic changes for a more just society. Previously, Olga was a Seasonal Canvasser where she engaged with residents about the importance of the 2020 Census. Olga enjoys volunteering in school committees at her local church where she has been a catechism teacher for the past 5 years.

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