Ministry at El/La Para Translatinas: A CLGS Lavender Lunch with Nicole Santamaría

Click HERE a video recording of this Lavender Lunch!

International activist, art therapist, and educator Nicole Santamaría will speak about their current ministry as Executive Director of El/La Para TransLatinas, a Bay Area organization that has served the Translatina community for over 25 years.

Nicole’s direct work with the LGBTQI community started as a professor of Design & Art Therapy, where she created and conducted art therapy workshops and investigation projects in her country of origin, El Salvador, for survivors of anti-LGBTQI violence, HIV positive women, and women in rural areas who were survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

She then went on to co-found Colectiva Alejandria SV, collaborating with NGOs, activists, allies, human rights organizations and government entities in Central America, the Caribbean and the US to create awareness related to the violations and realities of LGBTQI communities in these countries, with a specific emphasis on the experiences of transgender women in poor communities.

Now based in the Bay Area, Nicole serves as Executive Director of El/La Para TransLatinas, continuing to develop El/La’s diverse programs while supporting staff’s development and growth, strengthening partnerships with community allies and organizations, ensuring continued funding and financial stability, and serving as El/La’s spokesperson and representative to the public at large, with an holistic approach, opening the space for healing journeys.