Danaë Bibiana Gutiérrez Martínez
Danaë Bibiana Gutiérrez Martínez

Outstanding Community Organizer:
Danaë Bibiana Gutiérrez Martínez

 


In Danaë's own words:

"As a immigrant to this country I have experienced both what this amazing country has to offer, but also the struggles of an undocumented immigrant. From experiencing food insecurity to now having the opportunity to feed thousands of people weekly. When I got to this country I experienced what the lack of resources meant in regards to my education which then determined the path I took when my son became of school age. I was able to see what the children in my community and communities like mine were experiencing with the lack of resources they were given. I became a very active parent through the PTA, SBDM (Site-based decision making), and different committees within Dallas ISD. My advocacy for my son and the other students in his school led me to start my journey providing relief for those struggling with food insecurity. One of the keys to my success as director of the Harvest Project is that I’ve been able to see the struggles of our families through the lens of solidarity and understanding. As a brown woman who is Indigenous, Queer, DACAmented and a single parent, I am not doing handouts for these families, but giving back in the way my community provided for me. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that we cannot depend on outside entities like the government, our “the current leadership,” or organizations that don’t have a connection to our communities to have our back. We have to do the work ourselves and provide for the community ourselves, for only WE know what we need. We are our own saviors. As Executive Director of the Harvest Project, my message to the World would be that if we nourish our communities and care for each other, we can spread that nourishment and love through decolonizing our diets and thus our lives which will heal our planet and spirit." (From an interview given to ShoutOutDFW.com)

 

 

.

 

[Return to the Awards Event Page]