Laura brings her her multifaceted immigrant identity and 20+ years’ experience, working in advocacy for underrepresented groups to the Philanthropiece team. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico and raised bicultural in the U.S. Laura has engaged in community activism for social justice from a very young age to uplift the disparities found in her local community. Recently in Colorado she has worked as an immigration paralegal, professional translator/interpreter, community organizer/activist and Bilingual independent living advisor for people with disabilities with the ongoing mission to educate, integrate and heal community division stemming from historical systemic of oppression. Laura studied Mexican Culture at Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua in the department of Bellas Artes and holds an Associate of Arts with Linn-Benton Community College in Cultural Anthropology. What Laura loves about working at Philanthropiece is that she can continue to grow professionally alongside an amazing international team, while serving in many local initiatives under various themes of Social Justice including Latinx leadership, immigrant rights, Indigenous rights & advocacy, climate justice, economic justice and youth engagement. As part of her leadership role at Philanthropiece, Laura is an active member of the SVVSD Parents Involved in Education (PIE) Taskforce, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) and the Latinx Advisory Committee to Congressman Joe Neguse; while also being a co-founder of local grassroots organizations Voces Unidas of Boulder County and Colectivo Cultura. Laura is also a proud mother of two bilingual/ bicultural young adult children she raised as a single mom, and an ARTivist: poet, writer, dancer who shares her activism via performance, keynote speaking and poetic spoken & written word. Because building community while “living in community” is what brings Laura joy, you will often see her dancing and “conviviendo” with coworkers, community partners, public office representatives and family at local events!