Josué Vásquez is a Zapotec community organizer currently residing on Chumash Land (Oxnard, CA); however, their indigenous roots originate from San José Lachiguiri, Oaxaca, México.

Josué graduated from CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) with a Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Spanish, Chicanx Studies, and a Certificate in Spanish Translation. They are currently working as a Program Coordinator for the Tequio Youth Group with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), a non-profit organization in Ventura County.

Josué joined OYE because they believe in the importance of creating space for indigenous youth to learn about their cultural identity. For Josué, reconnecting to their indigenous roots and Zapotec heritage was possible through spaces like the Tequio Youth Group and OYE. They hope to continue holding spaces like these for future generations to learn and grow as pillars within their communities.

Yesica Guzman is from the Mixtec community of San Martin Peras. She migrated to the US when she was 10 years old to the community of Oxnard, CA where she learned English. 

Yesica strives to always do her best to give back to her community. For example, by co-founding student organizations like Compas at UCLA and Grupo Estudiantil Oaxaqueno de UCLA with the purpose to bring UCLA resources to farmworker and indigenous communities. She continues her work with farmworker and indigenous communities in her current role as the Labor Justice Program Coordinator for Centro Binacional Para El Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño(CBDIO) in Monterey County and advocates for the inclusion of indigenous voices in county affairs as a consultant for the Monterey County Health Department and commissioner of the Civil Rights Advisory Commission. 

Yesica joined OYE in 2023 first as staff then as a Comite member because she believes it is important to create safe spaces where indigenous youth can feel proud of their heritage and build connections for life. 

Teofila lives in Madera, CA. She is from from San Martin Itunyoso, Oaxaca. She will be graduating May 2023 with a Bachelor's in Psychology from Fresno State. She currently works as a Medical Assistant and aspires to get into the Master's Program for School Counseling at Fresno State. Her dream is to help indigenous youth who come from similar backgrounds as her.

Teofila joined OYE because of what it represents for many indigenous individuals. It is a place where indigenous people are able to connect and help empower the new generation of youths.

Cristina Vasquez is a Oaxaqueña from Ayoquezco de Aldama, Zimatlán in the Valles Centrales region. Cristina earned a BA in Spanish Language and Literature from CSU Fresno. Currently she is working towards her teaching credential while working as a substitute teacher.

Cristina joined OYE in 2023 as a way to support and to learn from the different Oaxaqueñx indigenous communities residing in California.

Oscar was born and raised in Los Angeles/ Tongva Territory / Tovaangar. His family originates from Cuixla, Oaxaca on his maternal grandma's side. He is currently reconnecting to his Zapotec roots, identity and culture.

Oscar graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelors in Communications and from Santa Monica College with an Associates in Business Administration. He is currently a Community Organizer, Independent Artist/Actor/Filmmaker & the Indigenous Education Now Coalition Coordinator in Los Angeles.

He aspires to collectively create spaces/organizations/coalitions/collectives/projects/campaigns for and by Indigenous/Native Youth/Young Adults & Communities.

Oscar joined OYE because he wants to support and uplift OYE's purpose with OYE Comite members to plant seeds of resilience and empowerment by creating gatherings/conferences/programs for Indigenous Oaxacans in order to preserve, pass-on, strengthen, cultivate, unite, and heal our culture/communities while getting the opportunity to connect with other Indigenous Oaxacans and stay rooted in our culture and ancestors.

Oscar was involved with the community campaign that his father started and led to create what is now recognized officially by the City of Los Angeles and State of California as the El Salvador Corridor/ Corredor Salvadoreño in Los Angeles on Vermont Ave. between 11th St. and Adams Blvd.

Noemi is from Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca from the Valles Centrales region. She’s currently attending the University of California-Los Angeles and double majoring in Spanish/Chicana/o Studies with a minor in Mexican Studies.

Noemi is a Family liaison at a High School in San Diego and she is working towards the California Teaching Credential to become a teacher at the high school level in the next few years.

Noemi joined OYE because she is passionate about helping Indigenous/Oaxaqueñx youths, and wants to share with our youth our experiences, traditions, and customs. She wants future Oaxaqueñx to be proud of being Indigenous, to maintain their knowledge, languages, traditions, and our beautiful culture alive, now and for all the future generations.

Fun fact! Noemi is an Aztec and Ballet Folklorico Oaxaqueño dancer.

Nancy Morales, (she/her) is the proud daughter of Indigenous migrant parents from San Bartolome Zoogocho, located in the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico. She completed her Ph.D. in Feminist Studies at UC Santa Barbara in June 2023. She also earned an MPA from Cornell University and a BA from UC Santa Cruz. Her research interests are Indigeneity, Native/Indigenous feminisms, and sovereignty.

Nancy has been an OYE committee member for the past five years. OYE inspired her to co-found the Collective of Pueblos Originarios (CPOD), a student campus organization at UC Santa Barbara.  As a second-generation Zapotec parent and a first-generation Zapotec queer feminist scholar, she aims to support spaces for new generations of Indigenous youth to reclaim their Indigeneity, produce knowledge, and empower each other in diaspora.