José Juan Hernández Urueta is a Colombian community-based social justice practitioner committed to promoting peace, restorative justice, and conflict transformation. He has worked as a Spanish teacher at various educational levels, including elementary, middle school, and university. Jose Juan bases his methodology on popular education as a catalyst for social change and actively participates in regional education and immigrant rights programs. One of his passions is networking and community building. He also enjoys running with his dog in the mountains.

Sharon Salinas serves as the Family and School Liaison at Waterman Elementary in Harrisonburg, VA. Originally from Managua, Nicaragua, she moved to the United States in 2019. As an immigrant herself, she understands the challenges of leaving everything you know and the resilience of the immigrant and refugee communities. Inspired by that resilience, she proudly serves on the Board of the Shenandoah Valley Immigrant Resource Center as well as Bridge of Hope, working to bring much-needed services to Harrisonburg and the surrounding counties. Sharon lives near downtown Harrisonburg with her husband, Andrew, their two-year-old son, Gabriel, their cat, Lupe, and dog, Becky. In her free time, she enjoys calling her mom and grandma, who still live in Nicaragua. She also loves going out for ice cream, dancing, reading, and spending time playing with Gabriel.

Kendall is the Chief Deputy Director of Elections and Chief Deputy Voter Registrar in Culpeper County, Virginia, with nearly a decade of public service experience leading and streamlining operations for local, state, and federal elections. Previously, she worked at a global corporate immigration law firm, providing non-immigrant visa services to clients of a Fortune 5 company. A cum laude graduate of James Madison University, Kendall earned dual B.A. degrees in International Affairs and Modern Foreign Languages, specializing in Latin American and Caribbean studies, French, and Spanish. Her education also includes international study at the University of Salamanca in Spain and the achievement of a Project Management Professional Certificate with a focus on sustainability, reflecting her commitment to developing a global impact. Passionate about learning and fostering connections with people across cultural and linguistic divides, Kendall enjoys reading, traveling, and capturing the world’s beauty through photography.

Gabe is the Manager of Federal Affairs at CMS Energy where he works with Congress on a wide range of topics including renewable energy initiatives, energy efficiency, battery storage, wind and solar energy, transportation issues, and electric and autonomous vehicles. Gabe serves on the board for the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition and leads the Company’s lobbying efforts for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. In his free time, he volunteers at Restoration Immigration Legal Aid, a non profit that provides pro-bono legal service for asylum seekers in the Washington D.C. area.

Helen Momoh is a peacebuilder, restorative justice practitioner, and a certified supreme court mediator in Virginia. She is passionate about women’s rights and community empowerment. A founding Board Member of PAX-Amor Initiative Nigeria, championed maternal health advocacy and capacity building; and also serves on another Board in the Harrisonburg community area. She volunteers at Fairfield Center, Harrisonburg, VA, as a certified mediator and restorative justice facilitator, while advocating for refugee and immigrant policies at the state level. Recognized as the 2024 Refugee and Immigrant Leader of the Year by Church World Service, Helen continues to inspire change through advocacy, collaboration, and action.

Hana is a 26 year old originally from Iraq. She immigrated to live in the USA in 2023.  Hana holds a degree in computer science and is trilingual speaking Kurdish , Arabic, and English. She has previously worked on spousal visas for immigration cases in the United Kingdom. Since living in Harrisonburg, she most recently worked at Gift and Thrift. Hana is currently learning more about graphic design In her free time, she enjoys travelling to new places, going on adventures and trying new foods, especially anything pasta- her favorite!