I am deeply honored and excited to step into the role of Interim Executive Director at Chispa during this pivotal time for our organization and our community. I take this role with great responsibility.
First, I want to acknowledge the legacy of Hairo Cortes, our Founding Executive Director. His leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment left an indelible mark on Chispa, and the work we’ve done together speaks for itself. We’ve achieved important victories, and I am fully committed to carrying that momentum forward.
As a lifelong resident of Santa Ana and daughter of immigrants, this work is deeply personal to me. Since joining as a Founding Board Member in 2017 and later as staff, I’ve had the privilege of helping scale up the organization to what it is today and develop Chispa into a workplace that not only fights for our community, but also supports our team. Making Chispa a great workplace.
I’m grateful for the trust and partnership of my colleagues, members, and community partners, and I’m honored to continue working alongside all of you. As we continue to build on the victories we’ve won and address the issues that still demand our attention, we must ensure our work remains rooted in the needs and voices of the community. Together, we will continue to demand change, innovate, and stay focused on our shared vision of justice and progress.
As we move forward into this next chapter, your support will be more important than ever. Thanks to a generous donor, all contributions will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000. I encourage you to make a donation to Chispa, today! Knowing that your contribution will have twice the impact, allowing us to maximize our collective efforts and build tangible power in Orange County.
Together, we can achieve so much more and strengthen our collective movement—thank you for standing with us.
Isuri S. Ramos
Isuri serves as Chispa's Interim Executive Director. Isuri was raised in one of Santa Ana’s densest neighborhoods and grew up understanding her community’s resilience. She attended Santa Ana public schools and the University of California, San Diego where she earned degrees in International Studies – Political Science and Urban Studies Planning. Since returning to Santa Ana Isuri has worked with various non-profits, alongside residents, and served on City Commissions to improve the quality of life in her community. In her free time Isuri enjoys resting, exploring nature, traveling, and learning about financial independence from people of color.
