February Alumni Spotlight: Jonathan Jayes-Green (John F. Kennedy High School)

This month’s Alumni Spotlight shines on Jonathan Jayes-Green, a Civics and Citizenship graduate from John F. Kennedy High School.

Jonathan received their Associate’s degree from Montgomery College and their Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Goucher College.

'Read what they had to say below:

“I was born in Panama and grew up in Maryland. I am proud to be Afro-Latinx, queer/nonbinary, and a DACA recipient.

Liberty’s Promise was really helpful as I navigated the complexities of accessing college while being undocumented. The program connected me to incredible mentors and leaders in my community that allowed me to see different versions of who I could be in the world. 

My favorite memory during my time at LP was meeting former School Board member and current Montgomery County, MD, Council Member, Nancy Navarro. I remember being so inspired by her story and work that I reached out to connect with her afterward. I had the privilege of volunteering for her campaign for the County Council, since then she has been a mentor, friend, and inspiration.

I am proud to say that I have spent my career fighting for justice in a multitude of sectors, including government, nonprofits, politics, and the private sector. I served as the first undocumented person to work in the office of the Governor in Maryland; I co-founded and led the UndocuBlack, a national organization fighting for immigrant and racial justice; and most recently I worked on the Elizabeth Warren for President campaign as its National Latino Outreach Director. Currently, I am the Vice President of Programs of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, a national progressive foundation supporting racial justice organizing across the country.

My advice to students pursuing a college education is: Be bold with your ambitions, dreams, and hopes for the future. There are so many people and systems that do not wish to see us succeed, let alone dream. I believe it’s our job to do it anyways. Also, take advantage of every opportunity you can to help you get there.”