The Latino Equity Fund at the Boston Foundation last week announced the hiring of Javier A. Juarez as the Fund’s new director. Juarez joins the LEF from the Massachusetts Immigrant and Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), where he has been serving as Senior Director of Advancement.
“Javier has made his career highlighting the needs of immigrants and Latinos in Greater Boston, and finding the resources to meet those needs,” said Juan Fernando Lopera, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health and co-chair of the Latino Equity Fund. “His communications, policy development experience, his lived experience as a first-generation immigrant, and his passion and dedication make him a perfect fit as the next Director of the LEF.”
In his time at MIRA, Juarez oversaw the Development and Communications teams at MIRA and, as a part of MIRA’s leadership team, played an important role in the advocacy strategies that resulted in the Yes on 4 Campaign victory to protect the right of all immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
“Javier understands from first-hand experience the systemic challenges faced by Latinos in Massachusetts, and he has played vital roles in successful campaigns to address those challenges,” said Aixa Beauchamp, President of Beauchamp & Associates and Co-founder of the Latino Equity Fund. “As we work to address the immediate needs of Latinos and Latino-led organizations and to strengthen the LEF for the longer term, Javier will play a critical leadership role in that work.
Juarez joined the Latino Equity Fund on February 6. He is a graduate of the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College and holds a master’s degree from Brown University in American Studies. A frequent speaker and organizer on topics related to immigration policy and DACA, Juarez is a first-generation immigrant from Peru and lives in Cambridge.
