#161 Abel Nuñez, Central American Resource Center

Did you know that Salvadorians are the third largest Latino population in America? If not, consider that their relative invisibility is no accident. The migration of El Salvadorans into the US began at the onset of a civil war that started in 1980 and continued for more than a decade, displacing families from first urban and then rural communities. They were denied refugee status by President Ronald Reagan, whose administration invested millions of dollars in the government that starved and drove them out. Abel Nuñez, executive director of Central American Resource Center, lived that migration experience as a child. He knows how an uncertain immigration status pushes people into the shadows, depriving them of opportunities and a political voice. Abel is now an accomplished power builder in the El Salvadoran communities of DC, Maryland and Virginia and a partner to others across the country. And he is building power at CARACEN, a home to Salvadorans across generations. It is where classes are taught, culture is celebrated, and collective action is honed. Abel is a true leader and a tireless truth teller.