Latinx 4 Social Movement was founded in 2020 as a 501c3 non-profit, providing services to the Los Angeles Latinx Community. Since then, our mission has been to improve the Latinx community and raise awareness to the issues affecting Latinx people today. We will do so by injecting funds and raising awareness for various other Latinx organizations in Los Angeles.
Equity and equality are issues that have been at the forefront of concerns for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States for over 100 years. One of the leaders in this fight for equity who most inspires us is Dolores Huerta, who founded the Agricultural Workers Association (AWA) in 1960. Through the AWA, Huerta lobbied politicians on many issues, including allowing migrant workers without U.S. citizenship to receive public assistance and pensions, and creating Spanish-language voting ballots and driver's tests. In 1962, she co-founded a workers' union alongside community activists such as César Chávez and Larry Itliong, which was later known as the United Farm Workers (UFW). Latinx 4 Social Movement was founded as an evolution of the tenets that spawned this fight.
In May 2020, Ryan Redondo and Lukas Medina were in the midst of ongoing racial justice protests in Los Angeles when Ryan realized that at this moment in history, Latinx organizations were underrepresented. Ryan also felt that he personally had not done enough to support the issues affecting BIPOC today. After attending a few disorganized protests, he recognized a fundamental issue: the Latinx-run demonstrations he attended lacked the infrastructure needed to effect change. After some research, Ryan with the help of Elyse Wietstock realized there is a need for a Latinx organization to help with these issues. With the help of the initial Board of Executives, Ryan founded Latinx 4 Social Movement as an artist cohort, marketing, and merchandising organization to help support nonprofits.
Latinx 4 Social Movement is governed by a Board of Directors. Latinx 4 Social Movement has received its state tax exemption status as a 501(c)3 organization in 2020. This status provides the fiscal momentum necessary to move forward with the mission of the organization.
The Team
Ryan Redondo
President & Founder
At a young age Ryan learned about the inherent societal inequalities that exist today. After living a life of uncertainty that led to him becoming unhoused after high school, Ryan enlisted in the United States Army as a Combat Medic. After being deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and experiencing war first hand Ryan realized his life would need to be spent in search of a cause to fight for. Which has ultimately led to the formation of Latinx 4 Social Movement today.
Morgan Maguire
Vice President
Morgan Maguire is an operations expert and worker’s rights advocate. Born and raised in California by his father, a Vietnam veteran, he has seen firsthand the importance of serving one’s local community and fighting for equity for all. Morgan uses his knowledge from a variety of fields to work quickly and efficiently to get things done, and brings that expertise to Latinx 4 Social Movement’s merchandising and logistics. In his spare time, Morgan enjoys working on DIY projects, spending time with friends and family, and getting out into nature.
Elyse Wietstock
Secretary and Chief of Administration
Elyse Wietstock is a writer, editor, film scholar, and podcaster living in Los Angeles with her husband James and cat Rocko. She was born and raised in Santa Barbara, surrounded by the Spanish heritage of the Mission and her mother's tight-knit Mexican family on the Mesa. Elyse inherited a flair for the creative from her parents, both artists, writers, and musicians, and took a special interest in film and television, which she would study at the University of California, Irvine, and Chapman University. A "jill"-of-all-trades, Elyse has worked in many different industries, always using her organization and communication skills to make operations run smoothly. Being half white, half Mexican, and bisexual, Elyse has always felt a kinship with those on the margins, who don't quite fit in, and hopes to empower others to honor and celebrate their identity to the fullest in everything she does.
Francis Robateau
Chief Creative Director
Francis C. Robateau Jr is an Afro-Latinx Belizean American, multidisciplinary fine artist, writer, philosopher, father, inspiring art curator and university professor. Born in Los Angeles and raised in North Hollywood Ca. He is an MFA student at Cal State Northridge anticipated to graduate in 2023. The focus of his art and writings centers around the lack of representation of minorities within history, religion and philosophy.
He uses both art and writing with the discipline philosophy as a form of protest. He calls for challenging and deconstructing long-held beliefs, to see if they hold up under scrutiny and critique. This exercise strengthens or removes those beliefs in the service of intellectual growth and self-actualization.
Toni Rodriguez
Assistant Creative Director
Toni is a Filipino immigrant, empowered woman, person of color, college graduate, and musician. She moved to the States with her parents at age 7 in order to discover the American Dream. Because of the kindness of her parents, she developed a passion for helping people, and she grew up singing in church and for community fundraisers. After graduating from Berklee College of Music with a degree in performance, she came back to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. She regularly volunteers for foundations that champion children’s education and uplifting the spirits of the elderly. Toni hopes to contribute her artistic perspective and communication skills in support of the organization.
Kimiko Martinez
Chief of Marketing
Kimiko Martinez is an advocate, ally, environmentalist, and adventurer dedicated to making our world a more just and equitable place. She’s been in the business of social impact for more than 15 years — first as a reporter and then leading marketing, communications, and creative teams at some of the biggest progressive nonprofits in the country.
In her free time she likes to hike and hug trees (preferably giant redwoods), visit state and national parks, and is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to cross state lines or add another stamp to her passport.
Lorraine Lopez
Chief Counsel
Lorraine López is a public interest attorney working in the field of Homelessness Prevention. Originally from Chicago, Lorraine grew up in a single-parent working class Latinx household and encountered a lot of housing instability in her childhood which prompted her to pursue her current career. Lorraine has worked at several non-profit legal services providers in Los Angeles County over the last 13 years, providing direct services to low-income Angelenos who find themselves at risk of eviction.
Jessica Jewell
Director of Digital Marketing
Jessica Jewell is a multi-issue progressive communicator and digital practitioner with 10+ years of experience. While the bulk of her experience is in the climate movement, her passion is to connect the dots across different spaces through creative projects, digital media, and strategic partnerships to raise awareness to build narrative power.
When she’s not working, you can find her making a mess in her kitchen, wandering dusty desert roads, reluctantly flipping vinyl on her record player, or between the pages of her next speculative fiction fix.
Dinah Chen
Chief of Merchandising
Dinah has been working in the creative field for over 10 years as a Visual Merchandiser, planning large scale visual displays, creating merchandising layouts for apparel and home goods, and styling elaborate window displays. After earning a degree in fashion merchandising from Fullerton College, Dinah started working in the heart of the fashion district in DTLA, as a Senior Sales Merchandiser Assistant. In 2020, Dinah redirected her visual and coordinating skills to rebrand and develop an up-and-coming wholesale apparel manufacturer in the DTLA community.
James Sparkman
Chief Technology Officer
James is a designer, cartoonist, and computer-enthusiast from the sleepy area of Los Angeles known as the South Bay. Having grown up in comfort and safety within the sheltered bubble of Redondo Beach and Palos Verdes, he only learned of true strife once he ventured into the world as a young adult. Over the next decade he was exposed to people and places that recalibrated his world view for the better. Today he is honored to be a part of Latinx 4 Social Movement and to help any way he can in their mission to create more equity in our little corner of the world.
Vision
We envision Latinx 4 Social Movement to be an artist cohort that produces art and inspires social change.
Mission
Latinx 4 Social Movement is devoted to the mission of improving our community and raising awareness of the issues affecting Latinx people and all marginalized people today. We will do so by focusing on art and artists. Art is our medium of expression and will be used to fund and raise awareness for social impact organizations throughout Los Angeles.
Values
We exist to amplify the voices of the unheard. Through creative expression, we voice solidarity with the marginalized in our society. Through unity of action, we create opportunity. We are the caretakers, protectors, and number one fans of the artists we represent and promote.
Code of Ethics
We are committed to:
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Acting honestly, truthfully and with integrity in all our transactions and dealings;
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Avoiding conflicts of interest;
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Appropriately handling actual or apparent conflicts of interest in our relationships;
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Treating our grantees fairly;
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Treating every individual with dignity and respect;
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Treating our employees with respect, fairness and good faith and providing conditions of employment that safeguard their rights and welfare;
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Advocate for our artists' rights;
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Acting responsibly toward the artist, nonprofit partners, and communities in which we work and for the benefit of those we serve;
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Being responsible, transparent and accountable for all of our actions; and
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Improving the accountability, transparency, ethical conduct and effectiveness of the nonprofit field.