Today we celebrate Vanessa Alviso! YWCA Yakima is on a mission to empower women. #52women52weeks was created to celebrate and highlight the amazing women & #SHEros in the #yakimavalley. We are proud to share more about Vanessa Alviso.

What is one word that describes you perfectly?
Guerrera.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Take up space and exist unapologetically. Remember that the space you take up in places not created for you is not just for you. You are also creating space for all those like you who will come after you.

What makes you happy?
Creating, eating well, laughing with my loved ones, and putting in work for my community.

How do you measure success?
I measure success by the quality of life of those I serve. I celebrate the successes of my students and their families.

What historical event inspires you the most?
The 1960s civil rights movements and organizations headed by radical communities of color: The Young Lords, the American Indian Movement, the Brown Berets, the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, and the Third World Womens’s Alliance to name a few.

What is your favorite quote and why?
“Only the strong go crazy. The weak just go along.” -Assata Shakur. What I feel Comrade Assata communicating is that those of us who reject colonization and refuse to assimilate, refuse to accept the place this white supremacist society has assigned us, have historically, and are currently, painted as “crazy.”