Jackie Reyes-Yanes on Strengthening D.C.’s Diverse Communities

Jackie Reyes-Yanes, now director of D.C.’s Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, arrived in D.C. from El Salvador in 1990. Starting as a school advocate, she became a key liaison for the Latino community, especially during the pandemic. Reyes-Yanes works to integrate newcomers and address issues like housing, immigration, and employment, highlighting the Latino community’s importance to D.C.’s economy. Her experience growing up as a part of a vulnerable population informs her work in connecting diverse communities to city policies.

“Coming to this country young also meant Reyes-Yanes was never put into a cultural box. She was open to embracing different communities.”