Spotlight: Get to know Jocelyn Hernandez
Jocelyn Hernandez joined the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault as a legal advocate a year ago. She recently transitioned into her current role as Community Engagement Specialist.
We are thrilled to have Jocelyn working in this new roles, and wanted to give our supporters a chance to get to know a little bit more about her:
Hola! My name is Jocelyn Hernandez, and my pronouns are she, her, and hers. I'm really excited about my new roles as Community Engagement Specialist, where I'll be working on a new initiative to assist victim service programs across the state in their efforts to provide services that are reflective of the communities in their area.
My family moved to Iowa from Mexico when I was in middle school. In May 2018, I became a naturalized U.S. citizen but Mexico City - where I grew up and where most of my family still resides - will always be my home. This is where I acquired my core values, and this is where my roots are.
It's my passion to assist people taking their power back, and throughout the years I have worked with survivors, they have taught me what resiliency really means. I started working in this movement in 2015 when I joined Assault Care Center Extending Shelter & Support (ACCESS) as their domestic abuse diversity advocate. I worked mainly with the Latinx* community within that service area. I graduated with my Bachelor's in Psychology from Iowa State University the same year I started at ACCESS (Go Cyclones!). A few years later, in 2018, I joined the coalition as a legal advocate.
When I'm not at work, I enjoy hobbies such as reading, taking my dog Bule on "walkies," and dancing to some good salsa! My favorite form of self-care is taking care of my plants (too many to count!) and self-reflective writing.
If you want to get in touch to talk more about community engagement in your area, don't hesitate to contact me at jocelyn@iowacasa.org or call me at 515-850-1912. I look forward to my continued journey with the coalition!
*Latinx (pronounced "La-teen-ex") is a more inclusive term for the Latino community, that better reflects people of all genders and identities. For more information about the use of "Latinx", click here.
