Diane Ovalle

Diane Ovalle is Xicana, born in Los Angeles, California raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She was raised by immigrant parents from Mexico. Diane worked for 15 years as a crisis based social worker with women in domestic violence shelters. She has led GED programs for youth, co-facilitated classes in maximum prisons, and spent 8 years creating standards for housing access for unhoused communities. She is directly impacted by the "crimigration" system as a sibling and daughter of justice involved relatives. Diane was cofounder of Puente Human Rights, a grassroots organization dedicated to providing education, empowerment, and direct action for immigrant rights communities in Arizona. She is developing a campaign to end youth prisons and gaining a doula certification to provide birth support to people in county jails. Diane is a mother of a 17-year-old son. Her values lie within indigenous traditions, and her life purpose is to fight for freedom.