Melissa Morales is the Founder and Executive Director of Somos Votantes & Somos PAC. In 2020, via Somos Votantes (C4) and Somos PAC (527), Melissa ran a $33 million program across 9 battleground states for the Presidential and key U.S. Senate races. In addition, Melissa served as the 2020 Planning Consultant for the Statewide Arizona Wins program as well as the Florida State Director for Win Justice - a coalition of seven organizations, including SEIU, Community Change Action, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Color of Change PAC, and multiple grassroots state organizations.
Melissa’s previous roles include Research Director for Equis Research, Executive Director of SEIU Florida, 2018 Win Justice Florida State Director, and also previously managed IE Programs for the 2016 Presidential Campaign in battleground states with SEIU. Through her work, Melissa has supported progressive candidates across the country, helped pass minimum wage ballot initiatives and helped restore voting rights to disenfranchised voters. Melissa is happiest when she’s surrounded by her family -- who anchors her and is the reason she does this work.
National Digital Director Eric Enrique Borja is the direct descendant of political revolutionaries and labor organizers. Eric grew up listening to his parents speak about El Salvador, about the political climate before the revolution, and about their organizing experience with students and workers before having to leave for the United States. Eric’s parents migrated to the United States in 1979 to escape political persecution. Every day, Eric does his best to honor his family’s legacy through his work.
Eric brings to his work 10+ years of organizing online and offline, as well as researching the intersection of technology and social movements. As a PhD student from 2011 – 2016, Eric used both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how movements, like Occupy, the Arab Spring, and Black Lives Matter, were utilizing social media to organize people. Then, after his graduate program, Eric led on the Digital strategies of national, state, and local advocacy, legislative, and electoral campaigns. Most recently, Eric was the Digital Director for the Florida for All I.E. campaign in 2020. Eric brings a deep love and hope for technology’s potential to liberate us, and a strong commitment to honor his family, his ancestors, and his communities.
Emmanuelle Leal-Santillan is the National Communications Director for Somos Votantes and Somos PAC. He provides innovative communications strategies to help amplify our national and state work as we empower the next generation of Latino voters.
Prior to joining our team, Emmanuelle led communications for Somos Un Pueblo Unido and Somos Acción in New Mexico. Through his communications work, Emmanuelle has helped Latino working families build long-term power by passing policies to increase the minimum wage, securing economic relief for those left out of COVID-19 assistance programs, and forming a new electorate that reflects the growing Latino population, especially in rural communities.
Emmanuelle was born in Durango, Mexico, raised in Las Vegas, NV, and has spent nearly two decades in various roles within the immigrant and workers’ rights movement. He is driven by his experiences as a Queer, Indigenous, formerly undocumented/DACAmented immigrant, and is inspired by his community’s resilience and perseverance. Emmanuelle enjoys spending time with his family, especially his adorable nephews.
Cristian Avila was born in Mexico and moved to Phoenix, AZ when he was 9 years old. He has spent nearly two decades working to build power for Latino and immigrant communities.
As a DACA recipient, Cristian is driven by the passion, resilience and resolve of the immigrant rights movement.Cristian has worked with various progressive organizations like Mi Familia Vota, labor unions, national foundations, businesses, faith and public policy leaders.
He joins our team with vast experience in the areas of voter mobilization, electoral campaign strategies, community engagement, public policy advocacy, targeted field research, and bilingual communications campaigns.
Cristian is a proud father, a baseball fan, and can be seen wearing his cowboy boots while fighting to create change.
As the Arizona State Director, Cristian is working to ensure Latinos and immigrants in Arizona have the tools and opportunities they need to fully participate in our democracy by taking action in their own communities and building a better future for all.
Cecia Alvarado was born in Costa Rica and moved to the United States when she was 16 years old. Cecia is currently pursuing a Communications degree with a minor in Public Relations at Nevada State College.
Cecia has a deep love for her community, which inspired her to get involved – first as a volunteer in high school, and now working in nonprofit organizations. She attributes her passion and motivation to her daughter Elisa, who has always been by her side at every work event.
As the Nevada Executive Director, Cecia commits to building the infrastructure to support Latinos and immigrants in Nevada, while also promoting programs that will empower Latinos and immigrants to become leaders in their communities and active voters.
Angel Gabriel Lazcano Jr. was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. A first generation Mexican-American and son of a union service worker, Angel graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in Political Science in 2021.
Angel's political organizing experience began in 2018 during the midterm elections as a canvasser. During his time at UNLV, Angel represented the “Rebels for Bernie 2020” student organization as its Treasurer, helping turn out the youth vote around campus during the 2020 caucus. After graduating, Angel began organizing with the local DSA chapter and currently serves as Las Vegas DSA’s Housing Justice Priority Steward, helping tenants with eviction defense and tenant organizing. Angel was elected to Las Vegas DSA's Steering Committee in February 2022, and helps lead the chapter as a whole.
Now at Somos Votantes, Angel brings his political organizing experience and his passion for environmental justice to build strong, healthy communities across the state of Nevada.
The midterm election is in full swing and Somos Votantes is gearing up to increase Latino voter turnout. Show off your support by purchasing a sticker and a t-shirt.
We’re in a critical election year. 34 congressional seats are up for grabs. Get your Somos Votantes swag before heading to the polls in style.
This pack is for the supporter who is looking to make a huge impact in 2022. Through your help, we can make this midterm election year a big one.
The midterm election is in full swing and Somos Votantes is gearing up to increase Latino voter turnout. Show off your support by purchasing a sticker and a t-shirt.
We’re in a critical election year. 34 congressional seats are up for grabs. Get your Somos Votantes swag before heading to the polls in style.
This pack is for the supporter who is looking to make a huge impact in 2022. Through your help, we can make this midterm election year a big one.
