Our Staff
Maria BrenesExecutive Director
Maria Brenes, Executive Director, earned her Master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has worked with InnerCity Struggle since 2002. Maria began her involvement in community organizing as a high school student growing up along the U.S./Mexico border with immigration issues and continued as a student activist at UC Berkeley on Affirmative Action and Et...
Henry PerezAssociate Director
Henry Perez, Associate Director, earned his Master's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles' Graduate School of Education and Information Studies where as a student activist he worked to recruit undergraduate students of color. Henry also worked as a community organizer in West Los Angeles where he organized residents to be involved in shaping policy around com...
Elizabeth LugoDirector of Administration
Elizabeth Lugo, Director of Administration, is a founder of the youth organizing component for InnerCity Struggle. Elizabeth is a life-long resident of East Los Angeles where her son attends local schools. She has effectively built the grassroots fundraising arm of the organization, including personnel policies and protocol. This year is her 10th year anniversary with the orga...
Lizette PatrónDirector of Education Policy
Lizette Patrón, Education and Communications Coordinator. Lizette graduated from Cal State Northridge with a major in Chicano Studies. She has nine years of experience in training young people of color to challenge existing inequalities in schools through communications. She leads ICS's media messaging, media strategy and popular education curriculum development for adults and...
Raquel ArmentaYouth Organizing Co-Director
Raquel D. Armenta, Youth Organizing Co-Director, attended the University of California at Santa Cruz with a major in Community Studies. She co-founded UC Santa Cruz's Student Initiated Outreach and Retention Center, Engaging Education and Chicanos and Latinos Educandose (ChALE) to addresses the low rates of recruitment, retention and graduation that historically under resource...
Hector FloresYouth Organizing Co-Director
Hector Flores, Youth Organizing Co-Director, is a graduate of Cal State Long Beach with a major in Sociology and Chicano/a Studies. He worked as a student organizer for The California Faculty Association while at Long Beach where he led voter registration drives, organized student lobby visits and local and state delegations. He will lead our youth base building strategies, yo...
Lydia AvilaCivic Engagement Coordinator
Lydia Avila, Civic Engagement Coordinator, is a graduate of Occidental College with a major in Urban and Environmental Policy. Prior to joining InnerCity Struggle, Lydia was a community organizer for East LA Community Corporation, where she worked with Boyle Heights' residents to fight gentrification by advocating for equitable land-use and planning policies. She was born, ...
Maryann AguirreAdministrative Associate
Maryann Aguirre, Administrative Associate, is a Lincoln High School graduate class of 2008 and a former United Students member. As a United Students member, Maryann was a spokesperson for the organization and as a student interned with the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Currently, Maryann supports the Human Resources and Accounting Departments. Maryann is resident of Boy...
Jasmin PivaralAcademic Services Coordinator,
Jasmin Pivaral, Academic Services Coordinator, is a graduate of the University of California, at Los Angeles. She has extensive experience developing college preparatory programs focused on supporting first generation and historically underrepresented youth. She currently coordinates ICS's academic programs to develop a college-going culture by preparing and supporting student...
Gabriela PerezYouth Organizer
Gabriela Perez, Youth Organizer, is a former member of United Students at Garfield High School. While in high school, she was actively involved in fighting for a new high school for East Los Angeles and for ensuring all students have access to the college preparatory course of study. She currently organizes students at Garfield High and is completing her BA at Cal State Long B...