Mercedes Micaela Say Chaclan

Leader from the Maya Kiche Nation. Bilingual Kiche / Spanish. Human Rights activist, committed to the integral protection of human rights of indigenous peoples, Defender of Mother Earth, she has a role in the community council. Experience in community organization, coordination and training. Outreach work aimed at displaced Mayan communities in the diaspora has been fundamental in the development of workshops on Identity and recognition and knowledge of culture. She is an interpreter of the Kiche language. She with an academic training in pedagogy and Psychology accredited in the Country of Guatemala. Founding member of the National Council of Indigenous Peoples in the Diaspora, CONPID in her role within the Group of Authorities appointed in an assembly of Organizations and Individuals that fight for the Defense of Human Rights of indigenous Mayan communities.

Carolina Martin Ramos

Puma Tzoc

Puma resides in the Multnomah and Chinookan territory also known as Portland, Oregon.Puma Tzoc is an immigrant, Mayan K'iche 'interpreter, ceremony man, artist-craftsman, father and son. Puma is originally from GuateMaya (Guatemala) from the town of Nahualá, which was originally known as Nawal Ja’ (spirit of water). Puma began his interpreting work after living and witnessing the injustices experienced by detained people, and the growing need for support. He began interpreting in the New York City court system, for medical institutions, and for his community. He has received training with a focus on indigenous activism, using interpretation as a tool to call attention to indigenous culture, spirituality, and social justice issues. Puma founded Maya K’iche’ Interpreter in 2014 with the initiative to help his people in the United States, and raise awareness of indigenous languages as a form of indigenous resistance. He is also a co-founder of the collective U'k'astajib'al Nawal Ja '(The awakening of the Spirit of Water), a group of young people in Nahualá that seek to raise awareness and rescue and reintegrate the cultural and traditional values of their people through the arts, dialogue, among other mediums.

Puma currently works with Pueblo Unido PDX as the Coordinator of the Collective of Indigenous Interpreters of ORegon (CIIO) and He is now a member of the CONPID Technical Team.

Cindy Toledo

Cindy is a Maya Q’anjob’al woman, born, raised, and currently residing in the Chumash Tongva territories, now known as Los Angeles, California. Her parents are from Jolom K’onob, now known as Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Cindy graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science focused on International Relations and a minor in Latin American Studies. She is currently a legal assistant at Polaris Law Group; before that, she was an accredited representative for the Department of Justice for an Indigenous-led nonprofit. She has also worked as a legal assistant at other immigration law firms and participated as an AmeriCorps member in Jumpstart, a network of volunteers who prepare children attending preschool in low-income neighborhoods for school success.

She is an Advisory Board Member Volunteer for Casa de la Cultura Maya in Los Angeles. In addition, Cindy volunteers with various other Indigenous rights organizations. She has attended to represent the challenges Indigenous peoples face at the US border and within this country at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Cindy continues to work to maintain and improve Maya Q'anjob'al linguistic traditions. She is progressively obtaining proficiency as a trilingual woman speaking her ancestral language as well as both English and Spanish. She has participated in cultural activities since she was very young and has been a culture bearer for the Maya Q’anjob’al Nation for over 20 years. In 2012, Cindy was the Representing Princess of Jolom K’onob in the Tongva Territories. She also started playing the marimba in a group called Marimba Juventud Maya when she was 7 years old and is now part of Marimba Flor Hortensia Jolom Konob along with her three sisters.

She intends to keep the Maya customs and traditions alive so they are never forgotten and to advance and safeguard the original peoples' and original nations' interests, especially those pertaining to the Maya Q’anjob’al nation.