Diana Tellefson

“Si Se Puede” (yes, it can be done) was an attitude Diana Tellefson learned from childhood. She grew up in National City, California, a town only 15 minutes from the Mexican border. Her mother migrated from Chihuahua, Mexico at the age of 20 knowing very little English. Her mother would say, “Never let someone tell you that you can’t do something or make you feel as if they are a better person than you are. Always stand up for yourself!”

After graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, Tellefson taught at taught for four years at an elementary school. During her last year of teaching, Diana helped establish a successful political action committee that worked to bring about positive changes in her school district. She participated in a post-graduate fellowship and was accepted to the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, through which she developed leadership skills in public policy. Her passion for the advocacy of farm workers’ rights stemmed from a weeklong visit to the Central Valley during her fellowship. She told the other Coro fellows, “I think that this is what I’m doing with my life. I’m working for the United Farm Workers.”

Prior to serving with the UFW, Tellefson worked as San Mateo County and Latino outreach coordinator for Joe Simitian’s state Senate campaign. She managed field organization in five cities as well as outreach events and communication efforts in two counties. She also worked on the 2004 presidential campaign as the deputy director for Voices for Working Families. Diana recruited, trained, and managed 20 precinct walkers in a Latino voter registration and get-out-the-vote project in three Arizona counties.

After Arizona, Tellefson began with the United Farm Workers’ Political Department. As the union’s immigration reform field director, she worked to help mobilize farm workers around the historic AgJobs bill. In addition, she was able to participate in the union’s big organizing campaign at the giant Giumarra table grape ranch, focusing on packinghouse workers. This experience made her understand the deep fear workers feel due to grower intimidation.

Tellefson is now executive director of the UFW Foundation, which focuses on civic participation, policy, and research. While leading the UFW Foundation, Tellefson continues to champion immigrants’ rights. Last year, she mobilized hundreds of farm workers who traveled to Washington D.C. and spoke to members of Congress about the need for immigration reform. She has organized with other immigrant and farm worker advocacy groups around the nation to advocate for fair and just reform.