As a Civic Engagement Manager at CEJA, Leonela supports and leads CEJA and CEJA Action’s electoral work to build the political power of environmental justice communities across California. Leonela is the lead manager of CEJA’s ballot measure voter guide and CEJA Action’s candidate endorsement voter guide.
Leonela graduated from UC Berkeley in 2021 with a B.S. in Society & Environment and minors in public policy and journalism. She studied the intersection of race, class, gender and the environment, as well as public policy and media as tools for achieving justice.
She joined CEJA in 2020 and quickly found her political home in the environmental justice movement. She sees civic engagement as an expression of community care and works to build a future where all of our elected representatives truly reflect our communities and courageously speak out and vote against injustice.
In her free time, you can find her with her cat Chunky or reading for one of her many book clubs.