Staff

Meet the organizers supporting youth power.

YUCA's staff bring deep roots in East Palo Alto, lived organizing experience, and a commitment to developing the next generation of community leaders.

Executive Director

Kenia Najar Miranda

kenia.najar@youthunited.net

Kenia Najar Miranda began as a core member with YUCA. She led numerous campaigns and social justice work as a young person for four years before going to UC Santa Cruz.

During her time at YUCA, she participated in immigration campaign work, collected petitions for the California Dream Act, led Know Your Rights presentations, and sat on coalitions in San Mateo County working to stop referrals to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Higher Learning components such as political education workshops, toxic tours, and breaking silences inspired her to earn a degree in Sociology and Latin American and Latino Studies.

Kenia is grateful to be back and committed to passing that same passion to other young people of color.

"You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time."
Angela Davis

ED Consultant

Ofelia Bello

Ofelia joined YUCA in 2019 as Executive Director. Born and raised in East Palo Alto, she is driven by her roots in the community, love for the people, and the powerful history of her hometown.

Ofelia loves organizing with young people from East Palo Alto and working in coalition with renter leaders who have fought for housing justice in the community for years.

Her background is in urban planning and public policy, with expertise and interest in community development and housing. She has served on the East Palo Alto Planning Commission, chaired the PAHALI Community Land Trust board of directors, and served on the California Community Land Trust Network board.

Ofelia holds a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara in Sociology, U.S. History, and Sociocultural Linguistics, and a master's degree in Urban and Public Affairs from the University of San Francisco.

Higher Learning Program Director

Cristal Montes

cristalm@youthunited.net

Cristal Montes has always had a passion for social justice. In high school, she discovered her passion for climate change, immigration, and mental health advocacy.

Cristal and her family moved through Redwood City, East Side San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Modesto before settling in East Palo Alto when she was eight years old. Growing up across different places helped her see early how neighborhood conditions shape people's lives.

She is passionate about sharing knowledge, making a difference in people's lives, and getting to know people from different backgrounds. She also loves reading and works to destigmatize mental health in BIPOC families, including her own Latinx family.

Cristal was the first in her family to graduate from high school and college, earning a BA in Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University.

Higher Learning Campaign Organizer

Filiberto

fili@youthunited.net

Filiberto joined YUCA in 2019 as a core member and was immediately inspired by the work being done. A lifelong East Palo Alto resident, he has always cared about helping his community.

After learning about climate change and environmental injustice in school, he wanted to take action but did not know where to start until he was introduced to YUCA.

At YUCA, he helped lead and plan events including a housing art gallery and biennial haunted house. He has given speeches at events including an OPA rally and Earth Day rally, participated in city council meetings, co-published projects and articles, and attended conferences in Chicago and Spain.

He graduated from Menlo-Atherton in 2021 and is excited to continue his work, leave a lasting impact in the community, and mentor the next generation of youth to do the same.

Youth Organizers

Young people growing through YUCA's leadership pipeline.

YUCA is intentional about creating internal opportunities for growth. Youth begin as members, build commitment and decision-making power, and can grow into paid organizing roles and future staff leadership.

Member

Youth begin as volunteers and members, learning YUCA's work and building commitment to the organization and community.

Core Member

After demonstrating commitment and a desire to be a decision-maker, youth can apply to become Core Members.

Youth Organizer

After two years as a Core Member, youth can apply to become Youth Organizers with increased compensation, responsibility, and decision-making power.

Senior Youth Organizer

After graduating high school, youth can apply to become Senior Youth Organizers and continue preparing for long-term leadership.

Staff Readiness

The full pipeline is designed to prepare young people to be competitive for full-time staff roles at YUCA.

Senior Youth Organizer

Moana Kofutua

Moana graduated from Belle Haven Elementary School and Redwood High School and served as a Senior Youth Organizer of the organization.

Youth Organizer

Dani Montes

Dani joined YUCA as a summer job. She was shy at first, but as she got to know everyone she began loving YUCA more and more. Dani loves animals and wants to help them as much as she can in the future.

Youth Organizer

Xenia Hernandez

Part of YUCA's youth organizer leadership pipeline.

Youth Organizer

Bryant Herrera

Part of YUCA's youth organizer leadership pipeline.

Youth Organizer

Estefani Ruiz

Estefani joined YUCA after knowing about and appreciating the work. She loves reading and helping people, and wants to go to college to become a nurse.

Board Leadership

Community leaders helping steward YUCA's long-term work.

Board Chair

Dalila Adofo

Dalila was born and raised in East Palo Alto and began organizing at age 12 when she joined YUCA. She was active in the campaigns that closed the Romic hazardous waste plant and in community planning for the future use of that site. She has worked with the California Fund for Youth Organizing, served on Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice's Board of Directors, and continues environmental and social justice work in Bayview Hunters Point and East Palo Alto.

Board Secretary

Thomas Williams

Thomas Williams has been an East Palo Alto resident since age 8. He began as a YUCA Member in 2007 and became a Senior Youth Organizer over four years, mentoring fellow youth through campaigns and social justice work. He is a graduate student and mental health therapist working at the intersection of race, mental health, sexuality, and communities of color.

Board Treasurer

Heleine Grewe

Heleine Grewe joined YUCA as a core member in 2017 with a commitment to defend community work rooted in East Palo Alto. She worked on housing affordability, water equality, transportation equality, sea level rise, Measure HH, restorative justice, and police-community solidarity. She continues environmental justice work with Nuestra Casa and anti-racism policy work through the LEARN commission.

Board Member

Braulio Gonzalez

Supports YUCA's board leadership and long-term community work.