OUR TEAM
ABOUT US
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
ENY ABARCA
Immigrant Justice Organizer & Regional Organizer in Belmont Cragin
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
EMILY AGUILAR
Youth Organizer
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Emily got involved with CU in 2016 as a youth leader, in 2020 she became CU’s Operational Manager. As a proud transgender woman of color, Emily has devoted her life to the young people of Chicago and creating safe spaces for LGBTQ youth. She likes to listen to Chrisitian Music at a high volume and loves watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race”!
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
JENNIFER ARWADE
Co-Executive Director
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Jennifer has 18 years of organizing experience, drawing on her own lived experience. Jenny has supported young people in creating the nation’s most comprehensive statewide school discipline reform in Illinois, advancing innovative solutions to keep families in their homes and preserve long-term affordable rental housing, advancing health equity, and more. Jenny enjoys long walks with her daughter Minha, and spends early mornings sipping coffee with her two cats, Puck and Pepper.
Eny joined CU in 2020 as our Immigrant Justice Organizer. She was a paralegal and knows her way around the federal court system. She loves music and learning about different people and cultures.
HEATHER BARNES
Housing Organizer, & Roseland Community Organizer & The Rebirth of Greater Roseland Organizer
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
Heather got involved with CU in 2019 after being door-knocked and attending a community meeting as part of the Rebirth of Greater Roseland. Heather is a mother of two boys and one girl. She loves movies, live comedy, music, and going on vacations.
Abi got involved with CU as a youth leader in 2007 working on immigrant justice for her community in Albany Park. In 2018 Abi joined the CU team as our Office Manager. Abi has an amazing 3 year old son named Noah, she loves to paint, bake, and watch comedy movies.
Raul is an immigrant from Guanajuato, Mexico, and brings 20 years of youth organizing experience to his role. Raul has developed and evolved the organization’s approach to healing-centered youth development. He loves birdwatching and hiking nature trails in the midwest.
RAUL BOTELLO
Co-Executive Director
Abi got involved with CU as a youth leader in 2007 working on immigrant justice for her community in Albany Park. In 2018 Abi joined the CU team as our Office Manager. Abi has an amazing 3 year old son named Noah, she loves to paint, bake, and watch comedy movies.
Joel got involved with CU in 2022 as the Program Coordinator for Bikes N' Roses, he's helping young people to address systemic issues in the community by using their bicycles as vehicles for change. When he’s not at the bike shop, you can catch glimpses of him biking through the city or browsing in a bookstore.
JOEL CAMPBELL
Bikes N’ Roses Program Coordinator
Abi got involved with CU as a youth leader in 2007 working on immigrant justice for her community in Albany Park. In 2018 Abi joined the CU team as our Office Manager. Abi has an amazing 3 year old son named Noah, she loves to paint, bake, and watch comedy movies.
Anton got involved with CU in 2007 as a youth leader with VOYCE. In 2021 he joined the CU team as a youth organizer, striving to improve mental health among young people through the Ujima project. He has one son, loves to read manga with him, and also enjoys a 2,500 year old board game called “Go”.
ANTON CHARLES
Healing Through Justice Youth Organizer
Abi got involved with CU as a youth leader in 2007 working on immigrant justice for her community in Albany Park. In 2018 Abi joined the CU team as our Office Manager. Abi has an amazing 3 year old son named Noah, she loves to paint, bake, and watch comedy movies.
Meyiya got involved with CU in 2017 as a youth leader with VOYCE, working to end the school-to-prison pipeline. In 2020, she joined the team as a full time youth organizer. Meyiya loves to act & sing.
MEYIYA COLEMAN
Healing Through Justice Trainer
Juan joined CU in 2003 as a youth leader, and has over 10 years of organizing experience, having helped lead various CU organizing projects from healthcare to immigrant rights and education. Juan enjoys spending time with his family and gardening.
JUAN CRUZ
Associate Director
Maria Paula started with the organization in 2006 as a volunteer youth leader after she was pushed out of school. In 2016, she became the Youth Director and Coordinator with the Voices of Youth in Chicago Education. She loves all things art, cooking, baking, spending time with her family and friends, and being a mother to her puppy- Sachi.
MARIA PAULA DEGILLO
VOYCE Coordinator & Youth Director
Jessica got involved with CU in 2014 as the Education Organizer. She now works with people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system. Jessica loves to spend time with her family, journaling, meditating, and listening to a good podcast like “RadioLab”, “The Daily”, & ”Consider This”!
JESSICA ESTRADA
Reimagine Justice IL Coordinator & Survivors Alliance for Healing & Justice Organizer
Derrianna got involved with CU in 2018 as a youth leader from Mather high school working on removing School Resource Officers (SROs) out of Chicago Public Schools and working to end the school to prison pipeline. Derrianna is now the Office Manager at CU, she loves to play volleyball and also loves watching Netflix show series. There isn't a show she hasn't seen on Netflix just ask her!
DERRIANNA FORD
Office Associate
Hunter got involved with CU in 2013 as a youth leader with VOYCE fighting to end the school to prison pipeline. Hunter has transitioned from a youth leader to intern, and in 2022 became a full time staff as CU’s Operational Associate. He is a self taught makeup artist and loves watching Scooby-Doo! and Power Rangers. He dreams of traveling to Ireland one day and retiring there. His favorite color is purple and I'm a big Scream fan.
HUNTER GEANS
Operational Associate
Fasher got involved with CU in 2010 as a leader working on Charity Care and in 2013 became a CU staff. She loves to read sci-fi & fantasy novels, going to theater plays, and spending time with family & friends. She is a big Harry Potter enthusiast and is someone you want on your team for Harry Potter trivia!
FASH KHAN
Housing Organizer & Regional Organizer in West Ridge
Maricela got involved with CU in 2020 as a Get Out the Vote Fellow and has since continued with CU to help highlight the amazing leaders and the work they do! She is a music buff, dog-mother to a Jack Russell-Labrador named Oso, and loves to learn new trades like wood work.
MARICELA MARISCAL
Project Coordinator
Eduardo got involved with CU in 2013 as the lead artist that worked on creating murals with youth leaders to address violence & graffiti in the community. He is a father of two, Liam & Luca, he loves to draw and paint, is also a movie buff and loves sports. He's the man to talk about your fantasy team!
EDUARDO MONTIEL
Artistic Director
Laqueanda was born and raised on the Westside of Chicago and is a mom of two amazing boys! She got involved with CU in 2016 working to address police brutality in our communities. She enjoys her family time, going to the gym, and making people laugh by telling funny stories!
LAQUEANDA RENEAU
Healing Through Justice Youth Organizer in Austin & North Lawndale
Luis is the education organizer at Communities United since Fall 2019. He enjoys traveling and connecting with people from different countries. During his commute from Little Village to Albany Park, he enjoys listening to podcasts & music by the Buena Vista Social Club!
LUIS SINCHI
Youth Organizer & Regional Organizer in Albany Park
Taijah joined Communities United in the beginning of 2020 as a Roseland youth canvasser and later became a part of the Rebirth of Greater Roseland as a youth leader. Taijah discovered a love and passion for fighting for racial justice and expressing her words to push for positive change and serving the people in her community. She loves to express herself through her art and listening to all genres of music.
TAIJAH SMITH
The Rebirth of Greater Roseland Youth Organizer
Angelina has volunteered with CU numerous times over the past 10 years and recently has joined the CU team as our Human Resource Associate. She likes to spend her time with her family and friends, enjoying a good cup of coffee while reading one of her many books/manga, or just listening to her vast library of music from around the world.
ANGELINA VARELA
Human Resources Associate
HOUSING OUTREACH COORDINATORS
Electa joined CU in 2017 as a leader with West Ridge-Communities United. In Spring of 2020 she joined the CU team as a Housing Outreach Coordinator. Electa is passionate about Police Reform, Youth Rights, and Affordable and Accessible Housing for all. Electa comes from a large family, growing up with 18 siblings. Widowed after 46 years of marriage, with her husband she raised 8 children. She loves taking care of her 18 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren when she is not at CU.
ELECTA BEY
Housing Outreach Coordinator
Angelo joined Communities United in 2020 as a youth leader and feels that at CU we have a safe space and the relationships which we build, makes him feel like we are family. Angleo joined the CU team in 2021 and is now one of our Housing Outreach Coordinators, and in his free time, Angelo likes to listen to music and create music as it helps him express himself.
ANGELO MCFARLAND
Housing Outreach Coordinator