Carlos Saavedra serves as the National Coordinator for the United We Dream Network - a national institution that seeks to develop the leadership of the growing immigrant young community. Though Carlos had been an active member of UWD for years, he became the Network’s first staff member in October 2009 and took on the responsibility of building a national institution for immigrant youth in the country.

Carlos has been organizing in the immigrant community for many years. As an immigrant from Peru, he has seen first-hand the hardships faced by immigrants in Massachusetts. For years Carlos has been part on the campaign to ensure that immigrant students in Massachusetts are able to fulfill their dreams of a college education and a better future. In 2005, Carlos was hired as a student organizer for the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). While with MIRA, he organized immigrant students across the state, and helped found the independent Student Immigrant Movement (SIM).

Recently, Carlos was chosen as one of the 2010’ Progressive Activist of the year award by the Nation Magazine. Carlos has been trained in leadership and organizing by the most prominent institutes and coaches in the field of social change across the country like Marshal Ganz, Lisa Fithian and the Industrial Areas Foundation.

Carlos Saavedra

Movement Mastery

84

83