Born and raised in Edmonton to parents who immigrated from El Salvador, Manuel’s values and beliefs in social justices and in the creation of a more equitable world are rooted in his childhood where had saw the barriers that his parents endured as low income minorities.
His interest in issues of social justice led him to the University of Calgary where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Latin American Studies and with a minor in Political Science. During university, Manuel’s academic research gave him an in-depth understanding in issues of the affecting the global south, development, governances, human rights, and democratization. Upon graduation in 2011, Manuel shifted his focus to local issues facing both Edmontonians and Canadians. But after so much academic analysis, however, Manuel decided the time to act was now. This led him to Next Up Edmonton.
Manuel is very excited to be part of Next Up 5 where he is excited to connect with people who share his passion of wanting to positively influence their community. More importantly, he looks forward to working and learning from them as he gains practical experience, rather than academic, in social justice work.