Taneeza Islam, Esq.,
​Chief Executive Officer

Taneeza is a first-generation American Muslim immigration lawyer who has called Sioux Falls home since 2012. She began her private immigration law practice in 2013 after receiving a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship, and in 2017 she co-founded South Dakota Voices for Justice and its sister organization, South Dakota Voices for Peace. Taneeza is also the Chief Executive Officer for South Dakota Voices for Justice.

Jen Dreiske,
Chief Operations Officer

With over 20 years of leadership and teaching experience, Jen is a skilled community collaborator and advocate.  She regularly presents and leads complex conversations on topics of diversity equity and inclusion, being an upstander, individual purpose, and the spiritual tapestry of South Dakota. Jen is the former president of the Mt. Zion Congregation synagogue in Sioux Falls, the Project Manager of South Dakota Faith in Public Life, and a board member of SD for Healthy Families. 

Jon Chapman,
Staff Attorney

After moving to South Dakota in 2013, Jon has worked on a variety of campaigns and petition drives, while also working to expand voting rights and advance equality at the ballot box in Indian Country. He went on to earn his J.D. from the University of South Dakota in 2020. As a freshly licensed attorney, he has helped lower-income clients with family law and housing cases & is looking forward to helping clients navigate the complex area of immigration law. He lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, two daughters, and two corgis.

Olimpia Justice,
​Legal Coordinator 

Olimpia is committed to diversity and equity work. She is a trusted interpreter and translator with 20 + years of experience, and is passionate about bilingual literacy and education, as well as suicide and gun violence prevention. She graduated from the University of the Americas-Puebla school of law and has called Sioux Falls home since 2005. She lives with her husband, three daughters, three rescue cats and a dog.

Lorena Diaz-Martinez,
​Case Coordinator

Lorena moved to South Dakota in 2017. She is a South Dakota State University  graduate with a Bachelor’s of Arts- Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She participated in community work such as Philanthropy and Youth (PaY) and is a Barry Scholar from The Barry Foundation, Fargo, ND.  At SDSU she served in the Latin American Student Association & The Students' Association. She was selected as one of the Cohort for Courage: Youth Advocates 2021 program at SDVFP. Lorena enjoys being part of communities where diversity and inclusion is welcomed and talked about. ​​

Gigi Tavarez, Program Manager

​Gigi is an advocate for the multilingual community. She has always been someone who looks out for others and wants to serve others rather than just herself. Gigi helps both women and children as a Spanish translator for Safe Place Eastern South Dakota. She has been in South Dakota for the past 10 years and lives with her husband and three daughters. Gigi is driven and passionate about helping marginalized communities. 

Erica Aguilar, Community Health Worker

As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, English was not Erica's primary language. Nevertheless, she was resolute in her pursuit of higher education in the United States. After successfully completing the ESL program at college, she relocated to Yankton, SD in 2015. Erica's bilingual proficiency has enabled her to create meaningful connections within the community, and she has always possessed a passion for helping others. Erica believes that pursuing a career as a community health worker is an ideal way to positively impact people's lives. Currently, Erica is actively working towards obtaining her CHW certification at Minnesota West Technical and Community College.

Aliyah Abdulrahman, Community Health Worker​

Aliyah is from Worthington, Minnesota where she grew up in a diverse community that fostered her love for the immigrant and refugee population. Aliyah pursued this passion and attended college at Augustana University where she studied Spanish and Education to become a teacher. Aliyah taught English as a Second Language at a middle school in Sioux Falls. Aliyah is pursuing her Community Health Worker certification from Minnesota West Community and Technical College.

Astrid Rosario, Digital Equity Coordinator

 Astrid has nearly 5 years of experience as an Office Manager and Community Resource Provider. She spent a few years on the Cinco De Mayo Entertainment Committee for the Falls Park Fiesta. Astrid enjoys talking to people who need help accessing community resource needs. She likes to make connections with people in the community and be involved in community events to get to know more people.