Israel Flores, President

As a Spring 2017 Alum and Union Organizer, representing workers in publicly funded job classifications, I am writing to declare my candidacy for the President of the Chicago Chapter with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institutes’ – Alumni Association (CHCI-AA). Member engagement is vital and I will strengthen communication between Chicago Alumni by promoting CHCI’s commitment to civic engagement and leadership development. Since participating in the Congressional Internship Program my professional network continues to grow as I build relationships with local leaders in multiple levels of government. I plan to leverage Alumni’s networks to collaborate with local organizations and elected officials to inspire young professional to thrive for great personal and professional achievements. I am eager to develop the next generation of Latino leaders and to work with multiple stakeholders in the Latino community to strengthen Alumni’s professional network, promote civic engagement and move working-class communities to action by building political power.

Maria G. Velazquez, President

I write to express my interest in serving as the next President of the CHCI Chicago chapter. I am a Congressional Internship Program (CIP) alumna from the class of Summer 2014. I’ve been involved with the Chicago Alumni Association since my return to Chicago in 2015. I’ve served in various positions in our chapter from secretary, program coordinator and most recently, president. I was born and raised in Chicago and have deep roots within my community in diverse spaces that will allow me to tap those into my role as president of the Chicago chapter. The past term as president I was able to build foundations and relationships to take our chapter to new heights. Due to the pandemic the plans had to be halted for health and safety reasons. Nevertheless our chapter remained as active as possible through virtual programming in partnership with organizations like Planned Parenthood, outreach efforts with the 2020 Census and local elected officials like IL state representative Edgar Gonzalez. I am running for a second term to continue building on the foundations established and momentum of our chapter. Aside from D.C., Chicago has been one of the top regional chapters regarding alumni engagement and social media visibility. I am confident in the skillset I would bring to this role and the historical background I have on the alumni association and its membership.

Ruben Roman, Vice President

I am thrilled to declare my candidacy for the position of Vice-President of the Chicago Chapter of the CHCI AA. As an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the organization, I am eager to utilize my skills to advance the development of the next generation of Latineleaders in our community. If elected, I am committed to playing a vital role in establishing a robust network of CHCI alumni in the Chicago region, providing valuable resources and opportunities for both current and new members. I strongly believe that this network will aid in achieving the CHCI’s overarching goal of empowering and developing Latine leaders, who are dedicated to making a positive impact in our society. My ultimate objective as Vice-President is to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages the growth and success of Latino professionals in our region.

Raymond Solorzano, Program Coordinator

I’m Raymond (Ray) Solorzano. I’m a Fall 2020 CHCI Congressional Internship alum. I graduated from Northwestern University in the spring of 2021 and now serve as a Press Assistant for the Office of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin. As the Chicago Chapter Program Coordinator, I hope to help connect CHCI alumni throughout the Chicago and Chigaoland area through reinvigorated chapter-run programming and opportunities. I hope to bring new ideas and reinvigorate the Chicago chapter by first ensuring that there is an open mode of communication for alumni in the area making it easier to connect. I also hope to help forge new connections between alumni through events such as happy hours, professional development sessions, and a recurring newsletter. I believe my experience on executive boards in college and my role in communications with the U.S. Senate make me the best candidate to organize programming for the Chicago chapter.

Ana Isabel Artiaga, Treasurer

Dear CHCI Local Board Selection Committee,

I would like to express my intent to run for Chicago Alumni Chapter Treasurer. I am a Summer 2017 CIP alumna. Currently I work as a Program Manager/Recruiter at Microsoft and have served as previous CHCI – Chicago AA Treasurer. I am interested in the Treasurer position as I seek to continue to drive forward Relationship Building (Net Worth!), our chapter’s finances, budget, and efficiently track expenses. As we return to in person gatherings, I will prioritize growth via sponsorships + partnerships. In this way we can provide our membership with great events and direct local impact! It would be a great honor to continue to serve for the Chicago Alumni Chapter in my hometown, for all alumni and the community at large.