Magdaleno ("Leno") Rose-Avila

Advisory Board Member
Magdaleno Rose Avila

About

Magdaleno (“Leno”) Rose-Avila is a human rights activist and writer. Most recently, he served as Director of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Leno has spent his lifetime working on behalf of civil and human rights. In 1968, he participated in the protests at the University of Colorado around the death of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. The protests led to many changes on campus including the development of the first programs for minorities as well as co-ed dorms. Leno has served as a Peace Corps country director in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Micronesia. His past employment Amnesty International, the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, Moratorium 2000, the Department of Labor, the Colorado Migrant Council, and the Democratic National Committee. He is a published poet having his work in the book Los Cuatro, Looking for My Wings and is currently editing a book entitled Driving to the Moon. Among Leno’s many awards is the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award given to him by the Human Rights Commission of the City of Seattle. Leno is currently working on spreading awareness about GMO labeling across the United States.