Beatriz

Beatriz is an organizer, political strategist, activist and philanthropic professional with two decades of experience working with community members to build strong, develop grassroots leadership, and to support creative and accessible campaigns and organizing strategy.

She holds a MA in Women and Gender Studies from Loyola University, a second Master’s of Arts in teaching from the School of the Art Institute and was a CoreAlign Speaking Race to Power Fellow. Beatriz is a licensed educator in Illinois and New York.

She serves on the board of Rooted In Community, a national network of over 100 youth justice organizations, is on the board of Impact Justice where she supports efforts to address the harms experienced by incarcerated community members and was a cofounder of the National Black Food and Justice Alliance. Prior to joining the MomsRising team Beatriz served as the Director of the Grassroots Action Network building grassroots capacity for organizing across the country, and co-founded and served as the inaugural Director of Organizing and Policy Initiatives at the Brooklyn Food Coalition where she served as chief architect of the coalition's organizing and policy
strategies. Beatriz consults with a number of organizations across the country working to end the injustices of the criminal legal systems including harms perpetuated by our over dependence on policing as a society. Beatriz has trained and collaborated with a broad cross section of entities including LittleSis, the Management Center, Feminist Organizing School, the Center for Third World Organizing, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity BOLD, Ruckus Society, Social Justice Leadership Institute, and the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Her commitment to amplifying the wisdom of the grassroots, and organizing with black and brown communities whose wisdom is essential for creating change, has been marked by her strong leadership and consistent work ethic.

 

Beatriz spends her time outside of MomsRising working as a multidisciplinary artist merging mediums like photography, performance, fiber and ceramics while engaging the archives. She also continues to support and collaborate with grassroots groups across the country on process and infrastructure design that moves beyond traditional non profits structures and decision making into what she believes helps build an adjacent possible. Her proudest role is as Momma to a beautifully brilliant 15 year old and a sweet and sassy 8 year old who both remind her that if we want change we must change, and that the beloved starts within ourselves, through our relationships to others, and in our “political” homes.