Meet the Finalists: Emerging Leader

Get to know our amazing individuals and organizations as we get ready to celebrate them at our 2025 Latino Leadership Awards on September 19th!

Throughout the next couple of weeks, we'll be sharing some info on the folks and agencies our city nominated to be recognized for their contributions and positive impact, promoting Latino progress across sectors in the Scenic City!

Emerging Leader: 2025 Nominees

Alex De La Cruz

Alex De La Cruz’s journey has been shaped by his search for identity, belonging, and purpose.

At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Alex pursued a major in Political Science and Public Service, with a goal of serving disenfranchised communities. As a freshman, he joined Freshman Senate to build connections with emerging campus leaders and staff. Through this involvement, he became a member of the Student Government Association and joined the Hispanic Outreach Leadership Association, then the only Latino/Hispanic organization on campus. It was through HOLA that Alex began reconnecting with his roots and building community with other Latino students.

As President of HOLA, Alex led efforts to create welcoming spaces for Latino/Hispanic

students. One of his proudest accomplishments was helping bring a second Latino organization on campus, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc., where he became a Founding Brother. This marked the establishment of the first and largest Latin fraternity at UTC. His leadership helped foster a sense of belonging for Latino men on campus, aligning with the mission of the fraternity to promote cultural pride, academic excellence, and identity development.

Alex De La Cruz’s leadership is rooted in lived experience, in navigating questions of

identity, creating spaces where none existed, and speaking up for communities. His work at UTC and in the broader Chattanooga community has been not only through his lived experience but also through honoring the diversity and power within the Latino/Hispanic experience. As he continues his path in advocacy and public service, Alex remains committed to creating lasting change through inclusive leadership and collective action.

Jennifer Velasquez

My name is Jennifer Velásquez. I was born in February 2005 in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. When I was 5 years old, my mom emigrated to the United States, and I stayed with my grandmother. At the age of 12, I moved to the U.S. and was reunited with my mom. It was a very happy moment for me. I arrived not knowing any English and started school feeling scared because everyone spoke a language I didn’t understand. But with time and effort, I learned English and graduated from high school.

After graduation, I wasn’t sure what to do, so I joined a one-year program and earned my certification as a nursing assistant. I worked in different places—a library, a clinic, as a soccer coach, with WIC, PBS Kids. In most of these jobs, I helped the Hispanic community by interpreting, and that’s where I discovered my true passion.

Today, I work as an interpreter with MetMin and the Literacy Center, and I’m currently studying at Chattanooga State. In the future, I hope to graduate and become a professional interpreter so I can help many more people. I know how hard it is to live in a country where you don’t speak the language, and that’s why I want to be a bridge for others—to help them feel heard, understood, and supported.

Steisy Vasquez

My name is Steisy Vasquez. I was born in Chattanooga and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. I moved to the United States to continue my education, and I am currently beginning my academic journey in the field of Engineering at Chattanooga State Community College.

As a first-generation college student and an independent student, I’ve learned to navigate challenges with resilience, responsibility, and determination. I work while studying full-time, which has strengthened my time management skills and deepened my commitment with my surroundings.

I enjoy being involved and staying active in the community on issues related to immigrant rights, civic engagement, and education. I volunteer with organizations such as La Paz Chattanooga, TIRRC, Comité Caminos, and the student club LASO.

I’m driven by the desire to help my community. As a young Latina, I understand how important it is to feel supported and to have access to opportunities. That’s why I engage in projects that empower youth, strengthen education, and amplify the voices of those who are often unheard.