Our Vision
Imagine a world where all of the stories we told displayed immigrants with dignity and respect, where their added value is acknowledged, and where acceptance reigns over discrimination.
Our Mission
Love 4 Immigrants is a social space for immigrants’ support. It aims to connect immigrants to their communities, as respected, loved, and heard individuals by sharing their narrative through art and storytelling.
Maribel Rodriguez
Founder
Maribel Rodriguez loves her roots and her parents’ countries, Colombia and Puerto Rico. Having been to both countries and growing up in Brooklyn, NY a melting pot of many cultures, she has a love for people of diverse cultures and walks of life. She studied photography at The Rochester of Technology and Social Enterprise at American University This is where Love 4 Immigrants was founded as a graduate capstone project out of the frustration of seeing immigrants being depicted in the media in untruthful and inhumane ways. In addition to creating Love 4 Immigrants, she is an educator with LearnServe International.
Saja Othman & Sewar Omari
Design Consultants
Saja and Sewar are visual communication designers with a focus on design for social innovation. Based in Jordan, they are interested in the role of design in supporting and advocating humanitarian, cultural, and social matters in the MENA region. They love collaborating on projects that shed light on the social issues of the Arab area and promote a better understanding of its rich culture. They founded The Valve Studio in Amman, where they work with impact organizations and businesses all over the world. Helping them shape their brands, promote their impact efforts, and design their communication materials.
Ifunanya Enezuagu
Trustee
Ifunanya is a social entrepreneur, educator and innovation specialist with experience managing innovation projects, design sprints, and advising businesses on social impact. Her experience includes work inside and outside the classroom.
She most recently taught courses on leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship for programs based at Stanford and Columbia University, respectively. As a first generation immigrant who also spent her formative years in her home country of Nigeria, she understands the importance of identity, culture and healing. She received her M.A in social enterprise with a concentration in innovation and project management from American University.
Wendy Buendia
Blog Content Creator
Wendy is a social change advocate and college student. She loves to read (currently re-reading the Percy Jackson series), watch Marvel movies, write articles, and eat a lot of Bolivian food! She loves her Bolivian roots and visits family whenever she can. She is studying Political Science at Virginia Tech and currently lives in Northern Virginia.
Bethany Woodson
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant
Bethany is a social change advocate interested in connecting people and resources. She holds a BA in Economics from UMKC and a MA in International Affairs from Marquette University. She is a researcher and evaluator in the field of international development. She is particularly interested in intersections between economics, gender, and refugee / migrant rights. She is originally from the Midwest and currently working for a democracy NGO in Washington, DC.
Mulenzi Tonny
Multi-talented Team member
Mulenzi is based in Uganda he is a sign language instructor and volunteer special needs unit teacher for deaf kids in primary school. He holds a bachelor’s degree in procurement and logistics management, with some programming skills Mulenzi is passionate about charity technology and inclusion having spent most of the years with the Deaf Community he has gained most experience about them, his love for immigrants and refugees became more of something after he became a caretaker of refugee orphan kids from South Sudan one of whom is deaf.
Syed Saud ul Hassan
Collaborator // L4I Arts Corner and Arts Course partner
Masters in Public Administration, Vice Chairman The CEMS Pakistan, Director Mairaj Academic Consortium, Lecturer of English, National Youth Assembly District Member, WWF Green Card Holder, DICE Fellow, Represented My Country & Enterprise at many International Platforms, trainer, debater, and public speaker. Other than that Syed loves to meet new people and his hobby is to have collaborations to better the globe for us and for upcoming generations too. He has a vision to spread humanity, love & gratitude.
Siddhartha Biswas
Web Developer
Siddhartha is a nature lover, software engineer, and aspiring environmental activist. He was born and brought up in Eastern Indian and holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Applications. He is also an experienced rock climber and mountaineer, preferring to spend his free time traveling, especially in the Indian Himalayas. In the future he hopes to contribute technological solutions to environmental problems and he believes in making a better world by focusing on the commonalities between people from a diverse world.
Laura Trask
Collaborator & Connector
Laura Trask is the Associate Director of Development and Communications at Ayuda, where she oversees Ayuda’s external events, communications, fundraising and donor management. Prior to joining Ayuda in November 2017, Laura worked abroad in Chile and most recently, Guatemala. In Chile, Laura worked as the development coordinator for a local organization that supports at-risk youth in Santiago. In Guatemala, Laura was a sponsorship coordinator for a local foundation that provided quality education, nutrition and access to healthcare for low-income students.
Laura received her B.A. in Journalism and Foreign Relations from James Madison University. She holds a graduate certification in NGO Management from James Madison University, and a certification in Human Rights: Immigrant and Refugee Rights from the Henry Dunant Foundation.
Salomé Cosmique
Judge & 2020 Artist
Salomé Cosmique is a Colombian artist, illustrator, educator, curator and mother currently residing in Philadelphia, PA, (USA). She has a degree in Visual Arts from the University of Strasbourg in France. In 2012, she obtained her National Diploma of Plastic Arts, with a concentration in sound arts from the School of Arts of the Rhine (Haut École D’art du Rhin) in Mulhouse, France. In 2017, Salomé moved to the US where she has continued to develop her artistic, curatorial and educational career. She is currently a curator of Dissident Bodies, Dislocada /Dislocated and Love for Immigrants. She has received grants from Bartol and Leeway Foundations. She is also a certified Trauma Informed Teaching Artist.
For Salomé, the arts form a positive vehicle which can bring beneficial changes to society as well as the potential to transform and heal lives, something she promotes in her art. Her work has been inspired by colonialism, immigration, women’s inequality, memories and dissident bodies. She has exhibited in Europe, United States, the Caribbean, South America and India.
Want to Get Involved?
We asked our community what Love 4 Immigrants means to them…here’s what they said:
It means that we are all humans before anything and that we need to look past nationalities, country of residences, and not only understand our shared values, but appreciate what makes us different. – Florence from Washington, DC, USA
Remembering and restoring dignity of those who live both inside and outside of our country’s borders. – Shivani from Chicago, IL, USA
Love4Immigrants 