Carmen Perez

Carmen Perez is a prominent civil and human rights leader with over 20 years of activism, focusing on issues such as mass incarceration, gender equity, violence prevention, and racial healing. As the President & CEO of The Gathering for Justice, she continues the organization's mission to promote peace and social justice and provides support to incarcerated youth in various regions, including El Salvador and Venezuela. Her extensive work has not only involved direct action and educational outreach but also policy advocacy at both state and federal levels.

Perez co-founded both Justice League NYC and Justice League CA, initiating significant reforms in juvenile and criminal justice. Her leadership extended to spearheading impactful campaigns such as Free Meek Mill and Take a Knee with Colin Kaepernick. In addition, Perez played a pivotal role as one of the National Co-Chairs of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington, which mobilized over 5 million participants worldwide. Her efforts in organizing the March2Justice, a 250-mile march to Washington, DC, highlighted her commitment to addressing police violence and promoting legislative change.

Recognized globally for her leadership, Perez has been honored in lists such as Fortune’s Top 50 World Leaders and TIME’s 100 Most Influential People. She has also been celebrated as one of Glamour's Women of the Year and appeared in Forbes’ 100 Mujeres Mas Poderosas. Her influence extends through her speaking engagements at respected institutions like Harvard University and Columbia University, and her work has been featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, TIME, and MSNBC. Additionally, Perez continues to impact the community through her roles with Poderistas and on the Advisory Board of Monogram.