Bio:
Carmen Perez-Jordan is a globally respected civil and human rights leader whose work sits at the intersection of justice, culture, and transformative change. An award-winning Chicana feminist and movement architect, she serves as President & CEO of The Gathering for Justice, the social justice organization founded by Harry Belafonte and rooted in the principles of Kingian Nonviolence. A co-founder of Justice League NYC and Justice League CA, Carmen has helped build state-based power to advance bold juvenile and criminal justice reforms nationwide. She has spearheaded some of the most visible justice campaigns of the last decade, including Free Meek Mill, Free Pedro Hernandez, and the I Am MEGAN campaign in support of Megan Thee Stallion, while also playing a critical role in international peace efforts as part of the Transnational Advisory Group in Support of the Peace Process in El Salvador (TAGSPPES), advocating for inclusive, society-wide reconciliation.
Carmen is the founder of Latinx Police Accountability Next (LPAN), an initiative advancing law enforcement accountability through transparency, community oversight, and justice for Latinx communities nationwide. She is also leading an ambitious oral history project documenting the lives of Latinos impacted by state-sanctioned violence and police killings over the last 250 years, since Mexico became part of the United States, ensuring these erased narratives are preserved and honored.
Looking forward, Carmen is spearheading partnerships for the Next 250 Initiative, a visionary effort to shape a more just and equitable future by confronting systemic inequality and advancing transformative social change. The initiative culminates in the reimagining of America’s founding document, rewriting the Declaration of Independence as a Declaration of Interdependence.
A co-founder and National Co-Chair of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington, which mobilized more than five million people worldwide, Carmen played a central role in building cross-movement partnerships, engaging cultural influencers, and authoring the Unity Principles that anchored the march. She is a co-founder of Women’s March Inc., led the creation of the Women’s Agenda, and is also a co-founder of Poderistas, a platform dedicated to amplifying Latina voices and leadership.
Carmen is featured in the forthcoming documentary Following Harry (2026), which chronicles the final decade of civil and human rights icon Harry Belafonte’s life and his enduring influence on a new generation of leaders. The film offers an intimate portrait of mentorship, legacy, and the transfer of moral leadership across generations.
Her work has been recognized globally. Carmen has been named one of Fortune’s Top 50 World Leaders, TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, Glamour Woman of the Year, Latina of the Year by Latina Magazine, a recipient of the Frederick Douglass 200 Award, Raizado’s ICON Award, one of Forbes México’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and the received the keys to the City of Oxnard, her childhood hometown, among many others.
Despite her work and these honors, Carmen’s most cherished role is that of a mother to her two young children.
Speaking Engagement Topics
Racial Equity | Mass Incarceration | Latinx History Month | Women’s History Month | Chicana Feminism |The History of Policing in the Latinx Community | Juvenile Justice Reform | Alternatives to Incarceration | Gender Responsive Services for Girls | Motherhood Breastfeeding | Intersectional Feminism | Intergenerational Dialogue | Muti-cultural Coalition Building | Diversity & Inclusion | Black & Brown Solidarity | Beyond Allyship, Building Solidarity | The History of Policing in the US| Police Brutality & Accountability | Black Lives Matter | Community Organizing | Movement Building | Kingian Nonviolence | Voting Rights
