Ana Ávalos

Program Coordinator

Ana Esperanza Avalos (she/her/ella) joins Grassroots as one of three Program Coordinators. She, along with the other Program Coordinators, works closely with middle school students, educators, families, and community members to ensure Grassroots reaches its goal in advancing health equity. Before joining Grassroots, Ana worked with middle school students across the nation promoting literacy among Black and brown students through virtual tutoring programs. Ana is passionate about the use of language and its implications. She hopes to use her platform as a means to prove that language is alive and that de-stigmatization begins with the words we use to speak about various health issues and whose words we give power to. As a DMV native with Salvadoran roots, Ana is passionate about engaging her community, advocating for Black and brown folks, and bridging the gap between communities in the DMV. Ana graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in English Language and Literature.

Espy (short for Esperanza) has lived many lives. From dancing, to singing, reciting poetry, and modeling, she always seems to find her way to the stage. Ana claims to hate being the center of attention, but when she’s on a stage, she becomes a different person (Sasha Fierce, is that you?!). Espy is a professional hype-woman. She pushes those around her to find their passions and will be the loudest and proudest person in their support system. When she’s away from the stage, Espy NEEDS time to reset. To do so, she enjoys sharing cultural foods, binge watching shows, hanging out with her family, and listening to The Friendzone Podcast.