Our Team

Staff

Eddie Martinez, Executive Director

eddie@somoslea.org

Eddie Martinez (He/Him/His) is the executive director of Latino Equality Alliance. Eddie is a co-founder of LEA and served on our board for six years before stepping down to serve as our executive director. He has more than 20 years of non-profit management and civic engagement experience including 18 years of tenure with The Wall Las Memorias Project, an HIV/AIDS organization in Los Angeles. He studied business marketing at Long Beach State University.

Vicky Gutierrez, Programs Manager

vicky@somoslea.org

Vicky Gutierrez (She/They/He) was raised in Santa Maria, CA by a Mexican immigrant family. They have been involved with non-profit community work for over three years and have lead highly successful Drag Bootcamp initiatives. As an artist, Vicky has been involved with DTLA drag culture since 2015 when they got their start in Highland Park's emerging queer nightlife. Vicky’s zodiac sign is Taurus and they share a birthday with singer/songwriter Lizzo. At LEA, Vicky hopes to make activism accessible through music and art.

Yesenia Mendoza, Development Coordinator

yessenia@somoslea.org

Yesenia Mendoza (She/Her/Ella) was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts & Master’s of Arts in Communication Studies with emphasis on Health Communication from California State University of Los Angeles. Yesenia’s health communication research on cost of care conversations were presented in the International Communication Conference of Health (ICCH) and the 2019 CSU Student Research Competition where she placed second amongst 250 students. Additionally, her research contributions to caregiver communication about cancer have been published in the Journal of Psycho-Oncology. In her free time, Yesenia enjoys writing and painting. She hopes to continue to write grants for LEA that will raise the resources needed to uplift LGBTQ youth in their own journey towards self-discovery and passion.

Victor Hugo Marroquin, Programs Coordinator

victor@somoslea.org

Victor Hugo Marroquin (He/They) is from East Hollywood/Koreatown and identifies as Chapin and Chicano. As the first born to a mixed-status immigrant family, Victor has been a part of grassroots organizing since high school with his family through CHIRLA. In 2020, they graduated from UC Riverside with degrees in Philosophy, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Education, Society, & Human Development. Through their undergraduate career they were a student staff at Chicano Student Programs where they helped organize events like Presente!, a BIPOC Queer/Trans Latine Conference. While their family does not have the education capital that is defined by traditional forms of schooling, they have always been rich in familia, orgullo y corazón. They strongly believe that intelligence is just as subjective as beauty, and use this framework to learn with youth as they work towards the restoration of justice and healing. Victor is an Aquarius and enjoys hiking, roadtrips, and dancing.

Jesus Suatan, Administrative Assistant

jesus@somoslea.org

Jesus Suatan (He/She/They) was born and raised in the community of El Sereno, in the Northeast Side of Los Angeles. They are currently attending East Los Angeles College, where they study communications, and working on obtaining their Bachelors Degree in such field. Upon completion, they hope to pursue a career as a meteorologist. In the past, Jesus has served LEA as a LGBTQ youth intern, Census Outreach Organizer and has slowly worked their way up towards their current held position. Their number one mission in life is to help people by bridging the gaps that stop them from getting to the other side: success.

Jasine Cumplido, Community Organizer

jasine@somoslea.org

Jasine Cumplido (She/They) is a Libra that was born and raised in Boyle Heights. They are a former LEA Youth Council member and were recognized by the city of Los Angeles in 2016 for their activism work with LEA. In 2019, Jasine completed a year-long Social Justice internship with another local nonprofit organization known as Legacy LA. They earned their Associates Degree in Sociology from East Los Angeles College. Jasine is currently pursuing their Bachelor’s in Sociology at Long Beach State University. Her favorite LGBTQ icons include Blood Orange, Kim Petras, Frank Ocean, and Niecy Nash. Jasine hopes to inspire and validate queer/trans youth the same way she was inspired and validated as a youth by LEA.

Sophia Ponce, Americorp Intern

sophia@somoslea.org

Sophia Ponce (She/Her) was born and raised in east Los Angeles, CA and is an Americorp Intern through California State University, Los Angeles where she is currently working on her third year as a business marketing major. While at LEA, her goal is to absorb as much as possible from her experiences and understand the different perspectives of the community. She wants to continue this journey in the nonprofit world along with one day leaning more toward mutual aid.

Maribel Rosas, Americorp Intern

maribel@somoslea.org

Maribel Rosas (She/Her/Hers) is a first generation college student finishing her bachelor’s degree in Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies at Cal State LA. She attended school in Boyle Heights and grew up in East LA. Her passion for social justice grew as she witnessed how her community was affected. She hopes to grow personally and professionally through her experiences with LEA.

Jesica Santiago, Community Organizer

Jesica@somoslea.org

Jesica L. Santiago, from Oaxaca, Mexico (She/Her/They) is part of LEA’s COVID-19 Outreach Team and is the lead coordinator of the Communications Team. As a first generation college graduate, her icons are her parents whom she admires and is grateful for their hard work. Jesica’s career path will always be about advocating for a better world and community. She believes unity and teamwork can help break boundaries for people like her.

Angel Elizalde, Community Organizer

angel@somoslea.org

Angel Elizalde (He/Him/His) is a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ and undocumented immigrant community. As a leader and member of an Aztec Dance group he shares his culture to members of the community in South Los Angeles. He enjoys singing traditional Mariachi music in hopes to join a Mariachi group. As he continues to advocate for the community, he plans to go back to college to continue his studies.

Eloy Armendariz, Development Assistant

eloy@somoslea.org

Eloy Armendariz (He/Him/El) is a Texas Tech alumni with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Eloy aspires to one day open a dog rescue for working dogs in his home state of Texas. His work with LEA revolves around cultivating relationships with donors and developing new funding opportunities. In his free time, Eloy enjoys cooking and playing video games as well as spending the day outside with his husband, David, and their two dog-ters.