California, United States

Co-Director | Detained Organizer, Pangea Legal Services
Esperanza is a community organizer who works alongside immigrants detained by ICE, supporting their efforts to expose detention conditions and assert their rights. As an undocumented woman of color who migrated to the U.S., Esperanza is passionate about promoting educational and leadership development opportunities for immigrant community members. She believes in equipping people with tools to develop confidence in speaking for themselves and challenging oppressive systems that harm them and their communities. Esperanza joined Pangea Legal Services in 2017 without formal training in advocacy or organizing, bringing only her lived experience as an immigrant in the Bay Area. Pangea has become Esperanza’s political home, where she has built her expertise as a community organizer. Her work involves leading public campaigns and advocating for the release of detained clients, skills she developed through hands-on experience at Pangea.
Rise Up Cohort: California, 2024