Welcome New Board Member: Carmen Cornejo
Cultural Coalition is thrilled to announce Carmen Cornejo as our newest Board Member! With an unanimous vote, Carmen was welcomed with applause and enthusiasm by the Board and staff, beginning her term in January 2024. As our Board President Zarco Guerrero put it, “We are all very happy to have you! And looking forward to working with you!”
When asked about her decision to join Cultural Coalition’s Board, Carmen shared,
“I have witnessed the extraordinary work Cultural Coalition has done for the community for many years. The passion, sincerity, enthusiasm, and respect for culture and family make me support and encourage others to support the organization.
From children’s art and after school programs to artistic community expressions and experiences, Cultural Coalition touches the souls and hearts of many in the Phoenix Metro area.
I’m honored to now participate as a board member, and I am looking forward to taking the organization to the next level with all of your help.”
Carmen is a community leader and entrepreneur with a proven track record of service. She graduated from Monterrey Tec (ITESM), Mexico, with a degree in communications. She started her communications firm Critical Mass Communications more than 12 years ago, offering consulting and translation services for diverse areas of knowledge such as STEM, immigration, business law, and others.
She also runs Marcos E Garciaacosta Law Group, a Boutique Law firm specializing in business law, trademarks, copyrights, and patents with her husband, attorney Marcos E. Garciaacosta. Along with Marcos, she educates the community on legal issues through presentations, seminars, and blogs.
She participated in the DREAM Act advocacy for more than ten years, along with immigrant youth leaders creating the Non-Profit Arizona DREAM Act Coalition and participating as a plaintiff in litigation against anti-immigrant laws. Her advocacy on education, civil participation, and immigrant rights has been profiled in local PBS stations, books, The New York Times, and local media. Carmen’s efforts led to her representing the community on diverse boards such as Si Se Puede Foundation and Chandler Education Foundation.
She also served on the Chicanos por la Causa Board of Directors for more than ten years, reaching the position of Chairwoman for the Board of Directors. Chicanos por la Causa is one of the fastest-growing, most important Hispanic non-profits with operations in Arizona and other states. She collaborates with EXATEC Arizona, a professional Tec de Monterrey (ITESM) alumni network.
Currently, she offers political analysis for Hispanic-speaking audiences in a morning news radio show, Enlace 1190, on a local Phoenix station three days a week. In her spare time, she likes cooking, reading, caring for her garden, and organizing gatherings with her two sons.
We are so honored to have your support, knowledge, and passion for what we do as part of our Board of Directors. Upon learning of Cornejo’s acceptance, Executive Director Carmen Guerrero emphasized, “Carmen has been a wonderful friend and supporter of our organization. She attends our events and is very familiar with our work during the festivals and the After School Arts Program at El Rancho del Arte. She is a great addition to our team!”