Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, LCSW, is an educator, advocate, and visionary leader fueled by love and courage. As the Founder and Executive Director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) in Half Moon Bay, she has transformed the farmworker community, infusing it with cultural pride and unyielding hope. Under her leadership, she has pushed for the Coast’s first affordable housing for farmworker elders. Her work in the field of mental health care for immigrants has been transformative- reimagined with arts, culture, and community at the center. A beloved mentor and award-winning author of a children’s book on family separation, Belinda championed farmworkers’ needs during the pandemic and led her community’s healing after a mass shooting. From the southern border to the White House, her advocacy has touched countless lives and inspires change rooted in our collective humanity. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker she is committed to changing systems that empower community strengths.

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Holding a Doctorate in Education, Dr. Hernandez-Arriaga is an Assistant Professor at the University of San Francisco, inspiring the next generation of clinical counselors and activists. At ALAS, She has built groundbreaking partnerships with USF and Stanford to lead pioneering research on the power of culturally responsive mental health care. She has helped to publish works like There Is a Monster in My House, Cultura Cura, and Olvidados Entre la Cosecha, which illuminate the emotional experiences of undocumented and mixed-status youth. Recently Belinda helped to found the Colibri Research Center at ALAS, developing groundbreaking studies including her current work to develop an instrument to measure immigration trauma. Dr. Belinda's work has positioned ALAS as a national model for community-driven, mental health programs that champion the belief that La Cultura Cura, that culture cures.

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She is a tireless voice for human rights. She was named to the San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame and appointed San Mateo County District 3 Arts Commissioner, she is also a civic leader and the proudest mother of three young women. She was named woman of the year in the California Senate and Assembly districts for the Central Coast. She sits on the President's Advisory Board for the College of San Mateo. She is a mother of three daughters and lives with her family on the Coastside.