ABOUT
Make The Road Nevada
WE BUILD THE POWER OF THE LATINX AND WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE OF COLOR TO ACHIEVE DIGNITY AND JUSTICE THROUGH ORGANIZING, POLICY INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION
About Make the Road Nevada
Make The Road Nevada is a non-profit organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our family of organizations hail from the east coast, where they have changed the face of community organizing in immigrant communities and become an immutable force for good. The states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania all bear the fruits of our work, and it is time for Make The Road to make the difference in our communities in the west coast.
Our vision for Nevada begins with building a strong grassroots foundation in Las Vegas and it ends with elevating the power of working class immigrant communities in every community around the state.
We do this by informing, empowering, and mobilizing our community to take action on important issues that directly affect their families and loved ones.
Meet Nuestra Familia
LEO MURRIETA
Make the Road Nevada Director
HE/HIM/ÉL
Arriving in the United States when he was seven-days old, Leo Murrieta grew up in Naked City—the community next to the Las Vegas Stratosphere.
Murrieta has dedicated much of his professional career to efforts that make our Latinx community a better place.
Having been involved with youth, Latinx, LGBTQ+, education equity, public policy, and advocacy for over a decade, Murrieta brings his experience to Make the Road Nevada.
He is the favorite uncle to his eight smart and wonderful nieces, the husband to an amazing human, and a proud dog dad.
BLANCA MACIAS
Deputy Director
SHE/HER/ELLA
Biography coming soon.
JEN FLEISCHMANN WILLOUGHBY
Development Director
SHE/HER/ELLA
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby joined the Make the Road Nevada team after more than a decade of running political and policy campaigns in Nevada and across the nation.
A long-time rabble rouser who’s been a part of the movement since her youth, she is passionate about building a world where all people have the resources they need to not just survive but thrive.
Fleischmann Willoughby is the mother of a young daughter, wife of a fellow activist, and guardian of many, many pets.
She enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading, and watching musicals.
JESSICA PADRON
Civic Engagement Director
SHE/HER/ELLA
Jessica Padron was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Padron joins Make the Road Nevada with over a decade of experience in civic engagement work—which began with her campaign work at just 14 years old.
Padron believes the Latinx community is one of the most underserved communities and for the last three years, she has made advancing public policy for Latinx people her top priority.
Outside her activism, Padron enjoys creating art in all its forms; she uses movement and music as therapeutic outlets and enjoys spending time with loved ones—including her fur babies.
AUDREY PERAL
Director of Organizing
SHE/HER/ELLA
Audrey Peral was born in Guerrero, Mexico and moved to California when she was only eight days old. Peral experienced the resource disparities working families face and is now dedicated to creating a better future for her son and her community.
Peral earned an associate of arts and associate of science at College of Southern Nevada, and a bachelors degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Driven by her passion to help others, Peral started with us as a volunteer in 2017. Her work in social justice is focused on intersectional issues like environmental and economic equity that negatively impact immigrant communities.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods around the world with her son.
RICO OCAMPO
Immigrant Justice Organizer
HE/HIM/ÉL
Rico Ocampo was born in Zacateptl, Mexico and immigrated to the United States in 1992. Ocampo is an undocumented/DACAmented grassroots organizer who cares about advancing systematic change for immigrant communities and youth of color.
The loss of his younger brother prompted Ocampo to fight against the injustices undocumented families face in the healthcare system and fight for immigration reform. One of his life-long goals is to vote in a United States election.
When Ocampo is not working with immigrant communities, he spends time with his wife and two children. In addition, he also serves as the Director for Anytown Las Vegas, the longest running anti-racist youth program in Nevada.
KATHIA SOTELO-CALDERON
Youth Justice Organizer
SHE/HER/ELLA
Born in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacán, Mexico, Kathia Sotelo-Calderon is a DACAmented activist who deeply cares about immigrant justice and advocates for a pathway to citizenship.
Sotelo-Calderon is also passionate about the restorative justice movement and has been working closely with it for over five years.
She joins us with an Associate of Arts in English degree from the College of Southern Nevada and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In her free time, she enjoys cooking new recipes at home and making arts and crafts with her best friend.
JOSIE RIVERA
Environmental Justice Organizer
HE/HIM/ÉL
Biography coming soon.
SALMA GARCIA-HERNANDEZ
Digital Organizer
SHE/HER/ELLA
Salma Garcia-Hernandez was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She first joined Make the Road Nevada in 2019 as a canvasser before joining staff in 2020.
She first started working with us to get involved with her community and help Latinx people prosper in the United States.
Garcia-Hernandez cares deeply about immigrant, environmental, and education justice and communicates her passions through videography and graphic design for us.
When she isn’t creating for us, she’s busy creating fun videos, taking street photography, or attending cultural events with friends.
CRYSTAL LUGO
Digital Organizer
SHE/HER/ELLA
Crystal Lugo was born in Northern California and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She later earned a degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno with a minor in English writing.
As the first American-born person in her family, she watched her family struggle with identity, assimilation, and their limited rights. She hopes to make a difference through Make the Road Nevada and help people like her family in every way she can.
When she isn’t working on the website or snapping pictures for us, you can find her writing in her journal, shooting film, or analyzing birth charts for fun. She’s a Sagittarius sun, Virgo rising, and Leo moon—for those curious.
LESLIE MEDINA
Communications Intern
SHE/HER/ELLA
Biography coming soon.
Latest News
Shame On You, SCOTUS: HOW NEVADA WILL PROTECT YOUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND MORE
We are immensely ashamed of the Supreme Court of the United States’ (SCOTUS) decision to overturn Roe v Wade—half a century of precedent that protected a woman’s right to abo
Taking the Primaries by Storm: How MRNV Helped the Community This Election Season
The results are in and the Make the Road Nevada familia couldn’t be happier with the voter turnout at this year’s Primary election. After weeks of strategic planning betwee
The Must Knows y Más: Everything You Should Know Before Voting in This Year’s Local Elections
As we slowly begin to inch our way towards this season’s local elections, your familia at Make the Road Nevada wants to provide you with all of the information regarding how
May Day, May Day, May Day: MRNV Takes the Las Vegas Strip for Immigrant Lives
On Sunday, May 1st, Make the Road Nevada, CHISPA, the Culinary Union Local 226, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, members, and allies marched down the Las Vegas strip for imm
A Week Of Change: Learn About Our Blitz Event And May Day March
We’re ending the month and beginning another with a bang at Make the Road Nevada. Starting on April 25th, we will be hosting our Blitz at the MRNV office, inviting staff and memb
Pero, Like, Where Do I Start? Learn More About the Primaries, Your Voting Rights, and How MRNV Is Helping the Community This Election Season
As the Primary election season approaches, Make the Road Nevada wants to ensure you’re registered and informed so your voice is heard. Before you go to the polls, keep reading to
We Deserve Clean Water, CCSD: How YPP Is Making Waves
Make the Road Nevada’s Youth Power Project is demanding clean water from the Clark County School District through their newest campaign, Water Access For All. Youth Justice Org
Keep Your Promises, Biden: MRNV Goes to Washington D.C.
Between February 28th and March 3rd, Make the Road Nevada visited Washington D.C. to take part in two rallies and to speak with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s and Representativ
Make the Road Nevada’s Free Vaccination Clinic is Here!
Make the Road Nevada and Touro University are teaming up for a free vaccine clinic event this Thursday, February 24th, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm inside our office. All three COVID-19
Join Our Family!
[ninja_form id=’2′]
Contact us
