We know that young people are the future and our conversation with Hairo Cortes, Founder and Executive Director of Chispa, only further emphasizes how important it is to center our organizing strategies around the leadership of young people. In this feature in our Black Love Rising series, Hairo talks about a different side of Orange County and the work he’s doing at his organization to create a political home for young Latinos and immigrant communities so they can get their voices heard and effect real change in a region that hasn’t always represented their interests

We’re honored to have spent time in conversation with Maru Mora Villalpando, Founder of La Resistencia, one of Tides Advocacy’s grantee partners. Based in Tacoma, Washington, this nonprofit organization is doing incredibly important work to empower those impacted by the immigration enforcement system and end the unjust treatment of undocumented immigrants in this country.

For our latest #BlackLoveRising feature, we spoke with Resha Thomas, Program Director at Texas Black Action Fund, a project of Tides Advocacy, on what inspires her work and the challenges and opportunities that come with building Black civic engagement in the great state of Texas.