Advocacy and Activism are essential to the practice of democracy, especially for communities that have historically been excluded and oppressed. These tools have empowered us to ensure our voices and needs are heard and respected. However, the burden of this work often falls on overextended organizers and nonprofit organizations. Their diverse perspectives and missions reveal the many challenges facing communities of color and the issues we must address for future generations. These perspectives and efforts are critical to our collective progress. Dissent is necessary and should be safeguarded to sustain a truly representative government. For Native and Latine communities, centering an Indigenous worldview is key to amplifying original voices and fostering sustainable solutions.
In partnership with Hispanics in Philanthropy, we collectively explored this topic through the lens of Indigeneity. Accompanied by iconic movement leader Judith LeBlanc (Caddo) and Hispanics in Philanthropy’s Jazmín Chávez, this broadcast delved into the importance of Advocacy and Activism within our communities as we approach this year’s election cycle.
Watch the broadcast now on NAP’s YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe to the NAP YouTube channel for more informative and important resources on Native communities.
Judith is a citizen of the Caddo Nation. She has been the Executive Director of Native Organizers Alliance (NOA) for eight years. She leads a national Native training and organizing network that supports Tribes, traditional societies, and community groups from urban and reservation areas in organizing grassroots political power to achieve Native sovereignty and racial equity for all.
Judith is a board member of Movement Strategy Center and chair of the board of the NDN Collective. She currently serves on the Environmental Justice Working Group convened by US Representatives Raul Grijalva and Barbara Lee. Judith was a 2019 Roddenberry Fellow. In 2022, she was a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Harvard University.
VP of Innovation, Equity, & Communications, Hispanics in Philanthropy
View BioA lawyer by trade, Jazmín brings over 11 years of experience in online strategy for nonprofits, social justice campaigns, online fundraising, and campaign analytics. With 14+ years experience in community organizing, advocacy, and strategic outreach in underrepresented communities, she has utilized communications and legal theory to examine new tactics for digital mobilization and movement building, using social media platforms and narrative power analysis as it relates to Latino outreach strategies. As the former Deputy Director of Public Technology and Digital Strategy for Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the New York City Council, Jazmín focused on access, inclusion, and innovation across platforms to advance the Speaker and Council’s work.
Born in Juarez, Mexico but raised in Denver, and a former DREAMer, Jazmín remains committed to fighting for immigrant rights across the country. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Lideres Board of LatinoJustice PRLDEF and as a board member of Rural and Migrant Ministry, an organization that advocates for the rights of farmworkers in New York state. Jazmín holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Most importantly, Jazmín is a proud mama and loves being married to her best friend and partner in crime.
Education Resource Facilitator, Native Americans in Philanthropy
View BioBobby “Trae” Trousdale (he/him), a proud citizen of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is a descendent of the Toupin family and was raised in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Before joining NAP, Bobby “Trae” worked in student programming, advancement, and leadership within higher education. He also brings experience from the private sector in event planning, employee engagement, and executive operations.
Bobby “Trae” received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oklahoma City University. He holds an M.P.A. specializing in nonprofit administration and a graduate certificate in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. His areas of research focused on issues of organizational diversity, community development, and Indigenous strategic planning.
In his free time, Bobby “Trae” volunteers with several local organizations including Sisu Youth Services, both Oklahoma City Pride organizations, and serves on the Board of Directors for the ACLU of Oklahoma. He also enjoys stickball, pickleball, antiquing, and exploring Oklahoma City’s local breweries with his spouse.. He is married to his college sweetheart, Taylor. Together they live on the Southside of OKC and have a dog and a cat, respectively named Timothy Gunnderson (à la Project Runway’s Tim Gunn) and Tamale.
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