Esperanza United
Vanesa Mercado Diaz, M.A., is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in research, advocacy, and evaluation, particularly in the fields of human rights and public policy. Currently serving as a Research and Evaluation Specialist at Esperanza United since September 2022, Vanesa previously worked as a Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Victim Advocate at CLUES. Vanesa's background includes roles such as a Graduate Researcher at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, a Women's Human Rights Program Researcher at The Advocates for Human Rights, and a Graduate Research Assistant at Building Broader Communities in the Americas. Additionally, Vanesa has experience in admissions counseling and mentoring at the University of Northern Colorado, as well as in youth program coordination at Northside Aztlan Community Center. Educational credentials include a Master of Arts in Human Rights & Public Policy from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Criminology from Colorado State University.
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Esperanza United
Founded in 1982 as a women's shelter in St. Paul, Minnesota, Esperanza United has grown into the national institute on domestic violence in the Latin@ community. We provide training and consultations to practitioners and activists throughout the United States as well as in Latin America. ' We root our work in the St. Paul, Minnesota community, offering a range of critical services in Minnesota from enhancing safety for Latin@ survivors of gender-based violence to strengthening youth leadership. We ground everything we do in the lived realities, hopes, and dreams of Latin@ communities. Our public policy initiative engages in federal and state public policy advocacy efforts and our national research center conducts research on issues that affect Latin@s in the United States and abroad. Our organization seeks input from members to inform policy advocacy efforts on key legislation impacting Latin@ families experiencing domestic violence and gender based violence. From highlighting the need of immigration reform to ensure protections for immigrant survivors to documenting the health impact of violence, we encourage communities to share stories of human rights violations, discrimination, community concerns and successes that will be brought to policy makers to help shape our laws.