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An organizer, speaker, and most importantly, believer, Jonathan is a queer, Afro-Panamanian, DACA recipient, who’s unwavering commitment to making the world a more just place is humbling. Jonathan joined Liberty’s Promise Sophomore year of High School, just a few years after their family migrated from Panama to Silver Spring, MD, like many immigrants, in search of the American dream.
Their unbridled passion for advocacy and justice was evident very early on:
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"One spring, the administration at John F. Kennedy High School decided not to let us run our program. Jonathan, along with a couple of other Kennedy students, thought this ruling did not benefit the school's immigrant community. All on their own, they organized, circulated a petition, and stood firm against the principal until he changed his mind. It was the most impressive example of civic activism I have ever seen from our youth.
Thanks to the drive and sheer determination of this incredible group of youth, we’re proud to say that Liberty's Promise was able to remain in JFK and have since supported more than 500 additional young immigrants."
-Bob Ponichtera, Executive Director
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Jonathan received their Associate’s degree from Montgomery College as a New Futures Scholar and Esperanza recipient, before achieving their bachelor’s degree from Goucher College.
Upon graduating, they served as Commission to the Governor of Maryland, advising him on issues of importance to the Hispanic Community in Maryland, before serving as Director of Hispanic and Caribbean Affairs. We were then incredibly lucky to have Jonathan’s unique and important input as a Board Member at Liberty’s Promise, where they supported our expansion efforts in Baltimore and Montgomery County. In 2016, they founded the UndocuBlack Network, a multigenerational network of Black undocumented immigrants organizing their own communities and building power, and in 2019 served as National Latinx Outreach Director for Warren for President.
As an influential voice, Jonathan could have recently been seen on MSNBC’s Cross Connection, AM JOY, and TV One NewsOne, as well as having been cited in The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, The Nation, The Atlantic, The Root, and NBC BLK.
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