La Defensa

Gabriela Vázquez (she/her/hers), Program Manager

“This initiative will prioritize the voices of community members heavily impacted by incarceration in Long Beach to move state and local resources to build alternatives to incarceration.”

“I am part of a team with individuals who have been impacted by the carceral system & have previous experience working directly with the immigrant community in Los Angeles as a law clerk for an immigration attorney that prioritized assisting low-income individuals.”

LA Defensa shifts cultural narratives related to mass incarceration and works with community to build physical infrastructures that embody alternatives to incarceration.