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By Guadalupe de la Cruz, Alianza Americas Board President

After an extensive national search, and with great excitement and pride, we announce the appointment of Dulce Guzman as Alianza Americas’ Executive Director, effective September 1st. This moment represents a powerful passing of the torch as we entrust the future of our organization to a leader who has grown alongside our movement and has demonstrated her deep commitment to our mission.

Since its earliest days, Alianza Americas has invested in leadership development and capacity building as the cornerstone of building a sustainable transnational movement that can drive transformational change. By nurturing and empowering the next generation of leaders who understand the root causes of inequities, we ensure that our efforts to address these challenges are effective and enduring. This commitment to cultivating leadership strengthens the broader movement for social and racial justice across the Americas.

Dulce’s journey with Alianza Americas has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her growth from a graduate student intern with the organization to a trusted and respected leader is a testament to the power of investing in emerging talent in our movements. She obtained a Master’s Degree at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice and holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Northeastern Illinois University. Over the years, she has evolved into a powerful and impactful leader, ready to guide Alianza Americas into its next chapter. Her achievements and contributions with Alianza Americas demonstrate the effectiveness and importance of cultivating leaders equipped to drive meaningful change.

Born in Mexico, Dulce is a DACA recipient and grew up living in a mixed-status household. Because of her lived experience, she has a deep understanding of the challenges and injustices faced by immigrant families. Dulce’s passion for social justice began in 2012 when the DACA program was first introduced, organizing several community education events to connect eligible individuals to resources. Following the 2016 election and at the height of anti-immigrant rhetoric, Dulce organized local leaders in her community to speak up in support of protecting immigrant families. She led youth efforts to advocate for a Safe Haven policy at the local school district. Inspired by Alianza Americas members, she co-founded the Center for Immigrant Progress in 2019, a youth-focused organization in Illinois. She then completed the Alianza Americas Leadership Program, where she learned alongside national and international leaders, gaining critical knowledge on global migration issues, transnationalism, advocacy, and intersectional analysis.

Dulce has built an impressive track record in her community and within our organization, cultivating critical relationships, nurturing grassroots efforts, and helping to shape a programmatic agenda. Since 2020, she has led the Alianza Americas’ development team– raising more than $7 million, 75% of which was regranted to member organizations. She also led campaigns that raised more than $230,000 in direct support for grassroots organizations in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Dulce has also partnered with youth-led organizations in Mexico and El Salvador to facilitate cross-border partnerships that raise awareness on deportations and their impact on mental health. 

Dulce has extensive experience working with local, state, and federal officials on issues concerning Latino and immigrant communities. She is a Gubernatorial Appointee on the Illinois Racial Profiling Prevention and Oversight Board. She is also an alumnus of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), where she served as a Social Equity Graduate Fellow in the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHCI is the premier Hispanic leadership development organization with an alumni network of thousands of leaders who today are accomplished champions in Congress, federal agencies, social service organizations, and corporate boardrooms. 

As we pass the torch to Dulce, we extend our deepest gratitude to Oscar Chacon, who has led Alianza Americas with unwavering dedication for the past 20 years. His visionary leadership has been instrumental in building the strong foundation we stand today, and we are confident that Dulce will continue to build on the legacy he leaves behind.

Dulce’s unique blend of grassroots organizing, youth leadership development, and high-level advocacy will guide Alianza Americas toward continued success. Please join us in celebrating Dulce Guzman as she champions this new role. Your support is crucial as we eagerly anticipate how her leadership will shape the future of our organization and the broader economic, social, and racial justice movement. Together, we will continue to build power, transform systems, and create lasting change for immigrant communities across the Americas.

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