Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing inequities—and exacerbated them. In response, mutual aid groups and
For Jazmin Williams, who runs the Burien-based doula support agency BLKBRY, organizing community screenings of “Wakanda Forever” felt like an extension
“Founded in 2020, amid the pandemic, Alimentando al Pueblo is the first Latine food bank in the region, serving about
Roxana Pardo Garcia and her partners founded Alimentando al Pueblo, a Latinx-specific food bank, to support the Latinx community and
WithinReach hosted a free, weeklong virtual event series called Food Access is Community Care from Feb. 7-11, 2022. Over the
Latinx communities are disproportionately affected by COVID, other serious illnesses, and poverty. As racism continues to be a public health
It’s 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the food bank at Alimentando al Pueblo is as busy as ever. People
Ashley Kay Smith / Last Forever Images
Amber Trillo / The Photographer Cat
Web Design by Leo Carmona
Martha is a workplace safety professional and has been in the worker’s compensation arena for over 12 years. Graduating from the University of Washington undocumented, before DACA, she navigated through higher education advocating for herself to remain in school. She’s currently earning her Masters’ in Safety and Health Management from Central Washington University. During her spare time, she mentors Latina students, translates immigration letters for people seeking legal relief and assists in resume/cover letter preparation. She currently resides in Federal Way, WA with her husband Mario of 10 years, their daughter Dahlia and two chihuahuas, Buttercup and Dixie. Martha holds a Master’s of Safety and Health Management from Central Washington University. OSHA Safety Leadership for General Industry Certification.
Susana Contreras-Mendez joined ESG in 2022 to support its Post-secondary Attainment portfolio. Prior to joining ESG, Susana was an Associate Learning and Impact Officer at Ascendium Education, where she worked in partnership with the philanthropic team to measure its performance and to support collective learning about its strategy and operations. Previously, she was a researcher at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a policy think tank in Washington, D.C. She conducted research on strategies to increase upward mobility for families, with a particular focus on the post-secondary experiences of student parents.
Other professional experiences include interning at Lumina Foundation and directly supporting low-income families through nonprofit and government programs. Outside of ESG, Susana serves on the board of Alimentando al Pueblo, a non-profit working to promote healing through comunidad, comida, and celebración (community, food, and celebration).
As a former Head Start child, first-generation college graduate, and TRiO Alum, Susana has firsthand knowledge of education’s transformational benefits. Susana holds a Master of Higher Education degree with a concentration in Diversity and Social Justice from the University of Michigan and a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in Sociology and American Ethnic Studies with a minor in Education, Learning, and Society.