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Team

EN ESPAÑOL

 

Cristina Arellano, Adult Ed. & Civic Engagement Associate cristina@lacasahogar.org 

My name is Cristina and I came to La Casa Hogar originally in 2007. I took computer and parent education classes and then later I volunteered to teach STEM classes and throughout various events. From October 2013, until April 2018, I was a teacher’s assistant in La Escuelita. During that time, I learned to work with preschoolers and received training in early childhood education, music, first aid, obtained certification to teach the Strengthening Families workshop and received training in mental health first aid. I currently teach the Spanish-English Exchange class. In Mexico I worked in social services. I like working at La Casa Hogar because I believe it satisfies a great need in our community, and I feel that my mission is service. At La Casa Hogar I continue to learn how to navigate the system. I would like to continue learning the language to help empower more women.

 

Cecilia Gonzalez, Early Learning & Parent Education Manager cecilia@lacasahogar.org

My name is Cecilia González, I was born in Mexico, I have lived in this country for more than 25 years, which is also the number of years I have been married. I am a mother of two. 23 years ago in 1996, I learned about La Casa Hogar from an ESL classmate. In 2008 I attended classes at La Casa and in that same year, I became a volunteer and soon after I became part of this incredible organization as ​the Early Learning and Parent Education Coordinator. I am currently taking classes at Yakima Valley College on Early Childhood Development and Education. La Casa Hogar also gives me the opportunity to attend countless courses, training, and workshops on children’s education, as well as training for my professional development and for the construction of resilience and human development. As an early childhood teacher, I support and strongly believe that social and emotional competence in early childhood is essential to obtain positive results in the short and long term of a child’s life. At La Casa Hogar, I have learned that equity, inclusion and empathy are basic and fundamental values to build resilience in favor of the positive development of children and everyone else who enters La Casa. In La Casa Hogar I found what I was looking for, in a  humane and welcoming way that I was not imagining. They focused on my strengths and because of that, I am now working to prepare myself as best I can to do exactly the same for other families in the Valley.

 

Magaly Solis, Executive Director, DOJ Accredited Representative magaly@lacasahogar.org

Magaly started working for La Casa Hogar in 2014. She began her journey as a volunteer teacher for the citizenship class in Wapato and was then offered to coordinate the Intergenerational Poverty Project in Wapato. In June 2014, she assumed the responsibility of the citizenship program. In 2014 Magaly completed an Immigration Legal Training which allows her accreditation by the BIA (Board of Immigration Appeals) and to better assist people that are interested in becoming citizens. “I’m passionate about social justice, empowerment through education, and serving my community; working at La Casa Hogar has allowed me to positively impact the lives of many in our community.”

 

Mireya Chavez, Citizenship Education Manager  mireya@lacasahogar.org

My name is Mireya Chavez. I was born in Mexico City in the Azcapotzalco delegation, I lived there until I moved to Chicago at age 19. After a while I moved to Yakima where my two children were born. At that time when my first child started going to kindergarten, the school sent all the information in English and I had to find someone to translate the documents they sent me. That is how I decided that I had to learn English! A friend told me about La Casa Hogar and its programs. I enrolled in English classes and was a student for 3 years. Then I got involved as a volunteer to help my community when a job opportunity was presented to me at La Casa in July 2003. At first, I worked in the learning center and at the same time helped in emergency services. Later, I taught driving lessons and basic computer classes. Now, my role at La Casa is an associate within the citizenship program, teaching classes. I am thankful for La Casa Hogar and its team for giving me the opportunity to be part of this organization and continue helping my community.

 

Angelica Reyes, Adult Education Program Manager angelica@lacasahogar.org

Angelica began her journey with La Casa Hogar in 2003 as a volunteer instructor for the Learning Basket program (a parenting class), and in 2008 was hired to work for the program. She is currently the Classes Coordinator, receptionist, and instructor for various programs. She also supports the Early Learning Center. She has been trained in the Learning Basket curriculum, Leadership (through the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic), the Creative Curriculum, the Salsa, Sabor y Salud nutrition program, Conevyt (Secretaría de Educación Pública Mexicana), Leadership through Education (through Hispanic Affairs), and is a DSHS certified Peer Mental Health Counselor.“I like that our students feel safe here at La Casa Hogar. They grow trust through relationships with staff and gain confidence to achieve their goals.”

 

Dr. Consuelo Rodriguez de Negrete, Citizenship & Civic Engagement Assistant consuelo@lacasahogar.org

Dr. Consuelo, is from Michoacán Mexico, where she completed her training as a physician at the University of Michoacán and practiced family medicine for over 20 years. She moved to Yakima with her family in 2016. Shortly after arriving in Yakima, Consuelo was connected to La Casa as an English Class student. She also volunteered within La Casa, before joining the team. “Estoy muy agradecida con todo lo que me ha brindado La Casa y por la oportunidad de servir a mi comunidad.”  In addition to her work at La Casa, Consuelo also works as a research assistant at Pacific Northwest University of Health & Sciences (PNWU). Her commitment to public health & advocacy for equitable healthcare in the Yakima Valley has and continues to transform lives. Additionally, Consuelo is a 2021 Beti Thompson Community Health Trailblazer Award recipient.

 

Alejandro Guerrero, Finance & Operations Manager alex@lacasahogar.org

My name is Alejandro Guerrero. I was born in Michoacán, México. I have lived in the state of Washington for more than 20 years and have lived in Yakima for the last 16 years with my wife, son, and daughter. I enjoy doing outdoor nature-related activities. I took accounting classes, and in 2017 obtained my AA degree from Yakima Valley College as a Bilingual Administrative Office Assistant, which is one of my major achievements. I was first connected to La Casa Hogar in the summer of 2016 when I became a volunteer intern. I enjoyed doing my internship at La Casa because I had the opportunity to build good relationships, learn new skills, and quickly learned about the impact La Casa has on our Yakima Valley. In August of 2016, I officially joined La Casa’s team in the role of financial assistant.

 

Enriqueta García-Sánchez, Development Manager enriqueta@lacasahogar.org

Hello my name is Enriqueta, I was born in Coahuayana, Michoacan, Mexico. I arrived in this country as a child and I have resided in Yakima since I was eight years old. I graduated from Davis School and I love living and raising my daughters in this beautiful city. One of my greatest achievements is to have visited my country in 2018. My dream is to be able to support my daughters in achieving their goals and hopefully see them change the world. I met La Casa Hogar from a friend who told me there was a job available. After joining the team in the fall of 2018, I quickly learned about the impact that La Casa has on our Yakima Valley and the connections it creates in our community. The resilience of the families of La Casa Hogar inspire me to work with more passion and empathy for my community.

 

 

Maria Ines Lozano, Early Learning Ctr. Lead Teacher mariaines@lacasahogar.org

My name is Maria Ines Lozano, I was born in Zapotlanejo, Jalisco, Mexico. I arrived in this country in 2008 when I was 16 years old. I have lived in this country for more than 13 years. I graduated from Davis High School in 2012, the same year that my son was born. I started at La Casa Hogar as a student in the English classes in the spring of 2016, at the same time that I was in classes, my son attended La Escuelita, that made me feel more secure. I like La Casa Hogar because it makes you feel at home. After a year of being at La Casa Hogar I started working with La Escuelita team. I have been a teacher in La Escuelita for over a year now and I am still learning new things. 

 

 

Andrea Hernandez Romero, Early Learning Ctr. Teacher’s Assistant andrea@lacasahogar.org

My name is Andrea Hernandez Romero I was born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. I have lived in Yakima Washington for 15 years. In 2008 I volunteered for the summer program at La Casa Hogar. I was also a student in English classes. At the same time my children were also learning and developing their own skills in prekindergarten in La Escuelita. Now La Casa has given me the opportunity to work in La Escuelita as a teacher’s assistant. I like La Casa Hogar because it is like a family. One of my goals is to continue learning and pursue more educational opportunities.

  

 

Maria Elena Alvarez, Receptionist mariaelena@lacasahogar.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Eilish Villa Malone, Citizenship Legal Services Director eilish@lacasahogar.org

Born on the military base in Tacoma, Washington to a working-class family, Eilish went on to study Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington in Tacoma, and Law at the Seattle University School of Law. In 2019, Eilish moved from Seattle to Yakima when she accepted work as an immigration attorney in Granger, Washington. In 2021, Eilish moved on to work in the Citizenship Legal Services Department at La Casa Hogar, where she oversees the legal representation of La Casa Hogar’s naturalization clients and is working with members of the community to obtain Department of Justice Accreditation to represent clients before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Eilish believes that questions of immigration and class are inseparable and that through her dedication to working people, she has been led to work as an advocate for immigrant people. Eilish’s mission, passion, and dream are to work in union with the working and immigrant people of our community towards mutual empowerment and to- over the course of her lifetime- be an agent of a constant undoing and disruption of the systems, institutions, and mechanisms that oppress us. In her free time, Eilish enjoys watching movies, caring for and adopting stray cats, and being with her family.

 

Sofia Acosta, Citizenship Community Liaison sofia@lacasahogar.org

Sofia Acosta is a first-generation American born and raised in the Yakima Valley. Sofia grew up experiencing the reality of America’s immigration system, inspiring her to pursue higher education in order to understand and advocate against harmful policies that undermine human rights. After high school, Sofia attended Yakima Valley College and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree. She later attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in Political Science. Sofia joined La Casa in January of 2021 as a fellow under La Casa’s Introduction to Immigration Law Learning Fellowship Program. Sofia officially joined La Casa’s team shortly after. Sofia is currently receiving training in immigration law in order to become an Accredited Representative under the Department of Justice while remaining committed to social, racial, economic, and environmental justice for all people.

 

Elizabeth Torres, Pre-GED Instructor elizabeth@lacasahogar.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Francisco de Jesus, Finance & Operations Assistant francisco@lacasahogar.org

I was born in San Jose, California but grew up in Mecca, California an unincorporated city in the Easter Coachella Valley. It is located an hour and half away from the Mexicali, B.C., Mexico border. My parents migrated from Oaxaca, Mexico and met in the U.S. I am the oldest out of five brothers and a first generation high school and college graduate. I obtained my Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Agricultural Business from California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). During my time there I served as Financial Officer and President for a non-profit student-led organization called M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) As an organization we promoted education, cultural, social, and political awareness on campus and the community. I also had the privilege to work for CSUB HEP. (High School Equivalency Program) HEP helps migrant and seasonal farmworkers and members of their immediate family to complete their high school equivalency. The program ensured that students receive guidance, post-graduation, if they wish to gain improved employment, obtain post-secondary education, or vocational training. I moved to Yakima, Washington in August of 2020 and joined La Casa Hogar on December 2021. Being part of an organization like this brings me joy because it reminds me of the community I grew up in and everyone I’ve met along the way. I am eager to grow alongside my team and help empower our community. La Casa Hogar and Yakima are my new home away from home. 

 

Koraima Tejeda, Immigration Law Fellow 

Rafael Torres, Immigration Law Fellow 

Roberto Soto, Immigration Law Fellow 

Jessica Martinez, Immigration Law Fellow 

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