Teresa Castellanos, Immigrant Services Coordinator
she / her / hers
Focus areas: Community and staff education, research and resource development, legislative updates, Know Your Rights, immigration matters, workers rights, emergency planning, and custody options
I am from... home made tortillas, papas con chorizo and coffee.
I am from... the smell of wet earth, the sounds of crickets in the fields, and the smell of roses my grandmother planted around her house.
I am from... "Si se puede," "We are still here," and "You are my other self."
Teresa Castellanos has worked with the diversity of immigrant communities for over 30 years. She began her career as a labor organizer with Justice for Janitors and the Health Workers Union. She worked for Catholic Charities’ Immigration Program leading the organizations' citizenship efforts in the mid-1990s. For the past 23 years she has been a guiding force behind the Santa Clara County's citizenship and immigrant integration programs. Through her efforts, in collaboration with community based agencies and other colleagues, 133,000 County residents have received assistance in their citizenship process.
She is a contributing author to Bridging Borders in Silicon Valley and KIN: Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities, two books based on the data from the Summit on Immigrant Needs and Contributions, as well as the recent Office of Human Relations report A Tale of Two Valleys: The Price we Pay for Living in Santa Clara County.
Milina Jovanovic, Immigrant Services Coordinator
she / her / hers
Focus areas: research, analysis, events coordinator, citizenship, and leads the Immigrant Programs Task Force
I am from… Balkan versions of the Turkish coffee, gibanica, baklava and vitamin salad.
I am from… the Neolithic matriarchal Vinca and Lepenski Vir, the smells of the rivers Danube and Sava, sounds of noisy boat restaurants, and busy cafés .
I am from… the land of rebels and anti-fascists, dreamers, and revolutionaries.
Milina Jovanovic has worked with numerous immigrant communities and researched a wide scope of immigrant issues since 1996. In the summer of 1999, she was hired by the Office of Human Relations to conduct research on 16 immigrant groups in Santa Clara County. With her unique research expertise gained and developed over the course of more than two decades in both Yugoslavia and the U.S., she has contributed to all research projects that originated within the Office of Human Relations. She was a contributor and co-editor of Bridging Borders in Silicon Valley and KIN: Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities, two books based on the data from the Summit on Immigrant Needs and Contributions. She has worked with Immigrant Programs (IRIS/OIR) since 1999 and with the Dispute Resolution Program from 2010 to 2015.
She is a published author of two books and numerous articles covering a wide range of topics from ethnic studies and immigrant contributions to U. S. foreign policy, gender studies and ecofeminism. She has also taught Women and Gender Studies classes at Evergreen Valley College. Her hobbies include gardening, yoga, and spoiling her four dogs.
milina.jovanovic@ceo.sccgov.org
Anthony Vũ, Associate Management Analyst
He/Him/His
I am from… Thịt Kho Tộ, Crab with tamarind and chili, and fish sauce
I am from… The sound of hymns and prayers, ad the smell of incense.
I am from… Uống nước nhớ nguồn (When you drink water, remember the source)
Anthony was born in San Jose, CA a year after his family had immigrated to America from Vietnam. At a young age, Anthony showed great interest in the subject of history. His love of history came from the analytic aspect, where unique perspectives can tell very different stories of the same historical events. He studied at San Jose State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in history in 2016.
Anthony’s personal drive comes from being raised in an immigrant family. His father worked long hours to support him, his mom, and 2 siblings while his mother stayed home to take care of her children because they were unable to afford childcare. His family had access to many resources and received support throughout their life. His goal was to be able to give back to the community in some way which led him to joining the OIR.
His personal mission is to see every immigrant family have the same opportunities that he and his family had, so they are able to build a life and have a future here in Santa Clara County.
anthony.vu01@ceo.sccgov.org
Carolyn Lê, Public Communication Specialist
she / her / hers
Focus areas: media, communications, and digital and video production
I am from... fish sauce, phở lộn xộn, mango chili lucas, and hot cheetos with cream cheese.
I am from... "Ăn cơm chưa?"
I am from... resilient Vietnamese refugees, the Monkey King, Scooby Doo, and Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Carolyn was born and raised in East Side San José, California and identifies as Southeast Asian, second generation Vietnamese American. At the Office of Immigrant Relations, Carolyn specializes in visual storytelling where she works to amplify the County’s steadfast commitment to immigrant communities through education, empowerment, and integration. Her work is informed by her experience in nonprofit arts for Southeast Asian Americans and grassroots organizing at the intersection of immigration and the criminal justice system.
Her hobbies include woodworking and spoiling her dogs.