our team

The Founders

  • Kat Pham (she/her)

    Co-Director and Director of Communications

    Kat is a California-born creative who believes in the versatile power of art.

    She is a passionate advocate for all sex workers’ rights. Her love for artistic creation and social change has led to an eclectic background. She hopes to cultivate a culture of community and joy at Avril Heals.

  • Jaelynn Ortiz (they/she)

    Co-Director and Director of Operations

    Jaelynn has always sought justice and healing for themself and those around them. They’re a non-binary lesbian Boricubana who started out doing restorative justice advocacy work in their home city, Newburgh, NY, moved on to mentoring students in the Bronx and BIPOC freshmen at NYU, organized within the NYC Black Lives Matter space, and eventually moved into sexual healing and liberation work.

    Jaelynn created the community groups as a direct response to an epidemic of sexual harm that occurred to BIPOC femmes in her community—herself being one of them. She hopes her background as an NYU graduate, trained crisis counselor, meditation instructor, life coach, writer, and abolitionist continues to help cultivate the spaces she always wished for.

Board Members

  • Taiwan Alvarado

    Taiwan (she/her) is a Mexican immigrant whose fascination with language lead her to a BA in English, an MA in English Literature with an emphasis in African American and Women’s literature and a 25+ year in k-12 education.

    She raised one beautiful daughter—Exene Avril.

  • Roque Rodriguez

    Roque (Pronounced: ROW-Keh) (he/him), is the son of Dominican immigrants, is a 500-hour trained Yoga teacher and proud co-founder of Suryaside Yoga in Queens, NY. He is a recipient of the Creatives Rebuild New York Artist Employment grant, co-founder of Abolitionist Educators, and recently co-founded Seed & Oil.

    Roque encourages folks to Practice Humanity as a way of life. Whether that be calling out injustices, helping to feed and care for your community members, or simply being compassionate with yourself and the people around you

  • Talia Tavo Estrada Holguin

    Talia (they/them/she/her) is a cheerful teacher and painter born to Huichin. Raised in a family of California Indian and Mexican community healers, teachers, inventors, and artists. Talia was set on studying studio art before stepping into a preschool classroom and became a teacher in the East Bay for 10 years. Currently the self-identified "Admin Fairy" at Peacock Rebellion.

    They can otherwise be found enthusiastically chattering about the importance of California native plants and child development, practicing one of 6 languages that they do not speak fluently at all, and can be quoted saying, "Ambition is a colonial concept."

Facilitators

  • Sasha Raee (She/her) Art Group Co-Facilitator

    Sasha is a multi-faceted entrepreneur who thrives in the creative realm. With her art business, podcast, personal assistant work, and award-winning cosplays, she continues to inspire others and make a mark in the creative community. She is a passionate advocate for important social causes, raising awareness and fighting for the rights of the BLM and all sex workers' rights.