Vanessa Terán is a LGBTQ2+ Mexican-American advocate for social justice, environmental stewardship, and human rights. Terán has had the honor of serving the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) for over a decade.
At MICOP, Terán previously oversaw programming in Indigenous youth leadership, adult literacy and education, migrant culture, Indigenous women’s workforce development, economic security, language justice, the preservation of Indigenous languages, reproductive justice, and early childhood education.
In January 2022, Terán made history as MICOP’s first-ever Director of Policy. They have a history in various advocacy and policy issues of focus such as natural disasters and pandemic rapid response and community mobilization, health access, public charge reform, and environmental justice. They co-direct MICOP's policy agenda, with a broad focus on health equity, education, language rights, labor, immigration, and mental health.
A native of Oxnard, California, Terán is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where they earned a degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies. Through their work, Vanessa envisions a future where undocumented, immigrant, and Indigenous communities thrive with dignity, equality, and full human rights.