The inaugural AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event will be a showcase of the most diverse and impactful young professionals in various fields of work across the Philadelphia region.

At the virtual event, taking place August 20, 2020, Gabriella Paez, 29, will be one of the 40 honorees. She is the Education and Community Development Coordinator at Nueva Esperanza, Inc. 

As part of the lead-up to the event, AL DÍA asked each of the 40 honorees the same three questions and collected their responses. 

Here are Gabriella Paez’s responses:

I have been struggling for the past 14 years to maintain legal status in the country, transferring from one status to the next. That challenge started when I was kicked out of my parents green card application when I turned 21, although the process started when I was 16. That fact has always been the hardest part of my journey.

The proudest achievement I have accomplished in my career has been to establish Hunting Park as a model in greening programs in Philadelphia and a potential model for other communities around the country.

While corporations can adopt practices to be inclusive, true inclusivity will happen when those in power make this inclusiveness the norm and not the exception. Then and only then our workplaces will be representative of the diversity found in our communities and in this country.

To register for the upcoming AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event, click here. 

For more information about the event, reach out to alliyahm@aldianews.com.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact martina@aldianews.com.