Our Mission
Gente Organizada (Gente) is a community-led social action non-profit organization based in Pomona, CA whose mission is to organize to build intergenerational power and wellness for youth and immigrant families in Pomona.
What We Do
Using an asset-based approach to community organizing, Gente Organizada works to partner with communities comprised of historically underrepresented, immigrant populations understand their rights and the power of community action. Instead of focusing narrowly on the deficiencies and plight of immigrant communities, Gente builds upon the deep-rooted, unique cultural strengths that help have helped immigrant communities survive for generations and increase capacities for these communities to not just survive, but to truly thrive. We have three main components of our work: Empowering the youth of Pomona through the Pomona Students Union; Organizing parents through Padres Unidos de Pomona, and; Building coalitions through collaboration with our partners and social action groups to promote a community-led movement for change.
Who We Serve
Gente is deeply connected to the families of Pomona, a majority of whom are immigrants. Rising fear within the community as a result of the national climate around immigration, has left much of our community seeking opportunities to pull together. We know from our experience this past year that our work is critical to helping families to feel a sense of greater safety and empowerment. Gente is unique in our geographic focus area of the City of Pomona. As the largest city in the East Los Angeles County region, Pomona, which is known to be one of the most economically disadvantaged sub regions of the County comprised of a largely Spanish-speaking immigrant population.
Our Board of Directors
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Iris Villalpando, Board President
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Ana Tostado, Board Treasurer
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Ivan Hernandez, Board Secretary
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Melanie Andreo, Board Member
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Maria Garcia, Board Member
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BK Gomez, Board Member
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Yesica Limon-Castro, Board Member
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Andrew Miron, Board Member
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Evelia Rocha, Board Member
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Jesus Sanchez, Board Member
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Samantha Salvador, Board Member
Our Team
Director’s Council:
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Arleen Yaz Alonso, Director of Youth Organizing,
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Evelia Rocha, Director of Parent Organizing,
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Enrique Villa, Director of Strategic Communications,
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Ivan Hernandez, Director of Movement Building
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Anel Hernandez, Director of Healing Justice
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Jesus Sanchez, Co-Founder and Director of Economic Justice
Team Members:
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Sam Gutierrez, Youth Organizer
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Claudia Vanessa Reyes, Finance & Special Projects Administrator
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José Luis Garcia, Farmer/Parent Organizer
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Maria Garcia, Building Manager & Outreach Consultant
Our Funders
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Liberty Hill Foundation
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Weingart Foundation
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The CA Endowment
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CA Community Foundation
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Emergent Fund
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Edward W. Hazen Foundation
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So Cal Youth Organizing Funder Collaborative
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Pomona Residents
