Celebrating Emilia Ismael-Simental: 2026 Mosaic Changemakers Fellow

We are incredibly proud to share that Emilia Ismael-Simental, Deputy Director of El Centro Hispano, has been selected as a 2026 Mosaic Changemakers Fellow. This national recognition honors leaders who are advancing equity, strengthening democracy, and creating lasting systems change rooted in community.

Mosaic Changemakers is a leadership fellowship that brings together values-driven leaders from across the country who are working to transform institutions and expand belonging. Fellows participate in a cohort-based experience focused on leadership development, systems thinking, and collective action—designed to support changemakers who are building more just, inclusive, and responsive communities.

Emilia’s selection as a Mosaic Changemakers Fellow reflects the depth of her leadership and her unwavering commitment to accountability, community, and belonging.

Emilia serves as Deputy Director at El Centro Hispano (ECH) in Durham, North Carolina. She holds a PhD in theories and creation of culture and spent 15 years in Mexico as a professor and researcher specializing in cultural institutions and cultural policy before relocating to North Carolina and joining ECH. Her work is grounded in advancing accountability to history, context, and lived experience, and guided by a central question: How do institutions shape the conditions under which people are able—or unable—to build community, exercise agency, and belong?

Please join us in congratulating Emilia Ismael-Simental, a true changemaker and an essential leader in our community.