Preserved from the old 21 Progress site (no association to the current site):

Mozart Guerrier: Executive Director

[mozart@21progress.org]

Mozart guides strategic planning, mission, and development at 21 Progress. He has spent over ten years working on social justice issues as a project manager, organizer, social worker, and teaching artist. He was most recently the co-founder of a collective impact initiative called Healthy Neighbors at Upstate Medical University, focused on developing leaders in public housing who addressed health disparities in their community. Prior to Upstate, Mozart was the community manager at Aunt Bertha, a software firm backed by Unreasonable Institute, TED, and Code for America. Aunt Bertha’s mission is the transformation of access to need-based programs in the United States for youth and families.

His career has focused on supporting grassroots leaders and social justice through technology, storytelling, organizing, and systems thinking. He has spoken at the 2015 Seattle Mayors’ Youth Opportunity Summit,  TEDxSyracuse, TEDxUtica, and frequently lectures on social justice and innovation at colleges (MIT, Brown, University of Rochester, UT-Austin, etc) and cultural centers across the country. He is a 50 under 40 Emerging Leader via Social Enterprise Alliance.

Mozart earned a Master of Social Work from the Falk College of Human Dynamics at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Mansfield University.

He enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and basketball.

Marissa Vichayapai: Programs Director

[marissa@21progress.org]

Marissa provides direct outreach and consultation on issues facing Asian and Pacific Islanders who identify as undocumented. Marissa is a first generation Thai American and passionate about community work, immigration reform, cultural identity building and civic engagement. With a background in social psychology research  non-profit management, youth mentorship, and an MSW degree, Marissa uses her talents and passion to drive her work.

Marissa is on the board of the National Asian Pacific Women’s Forum – Seattle Chapter, the only pan-Asian multi-issue advocacy group led by Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women for API women. She also sits on the board of the Asian Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF), a community-based, nonprofit organization that trains and supports the leadership of APIs with a commitment to social justice, community empowerment and public service.

She received her BA in Psychology, Masters in Social Work, and has a Non-Profit Management Certificate from the University of Washington. She speaks Thai and can say hello in over ten different languages. She has traveled extensively through Southeast Asia, Central, South America, and loves getting into the wilderness.

 

Wendy S. Martinez Hurtado: WA State DACA Program Manager

[wendy@21progress.org]

Wendy manages the Build Your Dream (BYD) program and provides support to DACA eligible youth and young adults. Through this work, she hopes to inspire and empower those who identify as undocumented.

She is passionate about working for and with marginalized communities and low-income youth, community-building, and social justice. Wendy has actively advocated for immigration rights by facilitating and organizing educational workshops at schools, churches and conferences, volunteering for One America and Proyecto MoLE, arranging legal assistance for DACA eligible students, and mentoring undocumented students on their journey through higher education.

Wendy graduated from Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Hispanic Studies and minors in Sociology and History. She is a College Success Foundation Achiever and Act Six Scholar. Upon graduation she served a year with Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest at Metropolitan Public Defenders and Care Partners Hospice where she worked to make legal and health resources more accessible to low-income and undocumented members of the Latino community in the Portland Metropolitan area.

In her free time, Wendy enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her family – especially her nieces and nephews.

Francesca Gatuz:
MSW Graduate Student

[francesca@21progress.org]

Francesca Gatuz was born and raised on the island of Guam, and moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2007 to attend Loyola Marymount University. During her time there, she worked as a Career Counselor Paraprofessional, served as member liaison and then president of Isang Bansa, the premier Filipino and Filipino-American student organization, and performed Filipino folk dance. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2011, she found herself back on Guam, and spent her time working at Erica’s House: A Family Visitation Center and providing volunteer support to Island Girl Power. In 2014, Francesca made a new home in Seattle, WA and began graduate school at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work where she hopes to build her skills in empowering marginalized communities through intergroup dialogue, policy analysis and advocacy, leadership development, and community organizing.

In her free time, Francesca enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, attending concerts, dancing, and cooking. She is currently a member of UW’s Social Work Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group and GABRIELA Seattle.

Ruby Alvarez: Bilingual DACA Build Your Dream Intern

[ruby@21progress.org]

Ruby is a first generation Mexican American. She was raised in Lynnwood, Washington and was one of the founding students of Edmonds School District’s,Creating A Better Tomorrow, a conference for students of color to challenge the oppression in their district, society, and themselves. Ruby is currently an undergraduate at the University of Washington with the intended major of Public Health. She is also an active member of Unidas Seremos, a UW organization that focuses on celebrating culture and dedicating services to their community and university.

What first interested Ruby in the field of public health was seeing the health disparities in her family and community. Helping others has always been a passion that drove her to this major, especially helping the Latino and other marginalized communities. She believes that there is a huge lack of awareness and resources for one’s health when it comes to people of color, Ruby wants to help fill in those gaps and empower these communities with the resources they need for healthy lifestyles. Ruby hopes to be able to work for and with marginalized communities and low-income youth in the future and help inspire and empower them to continue making connections and build a stronger community to create change.

In her free time, Ruby enjoys running outside as her way of distressing from school and exploring nature, dancing to Latin music and spending time with family and friends.

Jueun Park: Build Your Dream Assistant

[jueun@21progress.org]

Jueun was born in Seoul, South Korea. She grew up in Shoreline, Washington. She is currently an undergraduate at University of Washington majoring in Political Science. She is passionate about educating people on social justice issues. Jueun served as the President of Korean Undergraduate Business Review, a UW organization that educates international students on business affairs and advocates for community involvement through building networks. She is a junior member of Korean American Chamber of Commerce and has worked continuously to bring social awareness to small business owners in the community.

In her free time, Jueun likes to watch musicals, collect postcards and enjoys paddle boarding. She is also a private language tutor and teaches Korean in her free time.

Suzy Vennard Halberstadt: Administrative Assistant

[suzanne@21progress.org]

Suzy Halberstadt is a spring 2016 graduate from Eastern Washington University with a BA in Women’s & Gender Studies with a minor in Sociology. She was raised in California and moved to Washington State in 2009. While living in Spokane WA she was an active member of the Peace & Justice Action League and served on the board of Pedals2People and Meals on Wheels.

In her free time, Suzy likes craft and can knit you a scarf in a somewhat rectangular shape.  She also likes to spend time at local museums and go for walks around town.

 JoLee Melink: Fearless Asians for Immigration Reform FAIR! Assistant

[jolee@21progress.org]

JoLee was born in China, adopted at 10 months old, and grew up in Longview, WA. Her curiosity and passion for social justice issues are the driving force behind pursuing dual majors in both Social Welfare and American Ethnic Studies, as well as her active service around the University of Washington community. During her time at UW, JoLee has held a student assistant position at the Carlson Center and has been involved with both the Center for 21st Century Liberal Arts Learning Fellowship and with the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega.

JoLee enjoys spending her free time serving her community via projects through Alpha Phi Omega and in various organizations around Seattle. She also enjoys spending time with friends, hiking, and seeking out good food and adventure.