Diego, also known as Smiley, is the newest addition to BetterWorld Partners. Diego’s work focuses on storytelling and the power it holds fostering connection to ourselves, our relationships, our traditions, and our planet. He brings with him a degree in writing from the University of Minnesota, over a decade of experience in sustainable food systems, food sovereignty, and grassroots community organizing, as well as a lifetime of experience in BIPOC community advocacy and advancement. Being of Nahua descent, Diego has invested much of his life into the revitalization and transmission of indigenous ways of being, living, and relating. He is inspired by the systematic way that words and pictures create social change and impart meaning. Diego uses written and visual storytelling to animate nonprofit narratives, reflect their values, expand their visions, and advocate their work through grant writing and social media.

“Working with the team at BetterWorld Partners has added immense joy and value to my life. There isn’t any way to describe the atmosphere of power, belonging, and inclusion that I’ve felt in the room with Athena, Julia, Jennifer, Deb, and Tene. It is with them that I have grown as a leader and been successful in the philanthropic ecosystem.”