At Instituto Familiar de la Raza, we’re proud to share that Berta Hernández has joined us as our new Director of Engagement and Sustainability, a leader who has been part of Instituto and our community for many years.

Her return is more than a new job title. It is the continuation of a long relationship built on trust, teamwork, and a deep commitment to Chicano, Latino, and Indigenous families in San Francisco. For Berta, coming back to Instituto truly feels like coming home, to a place that has been a refuge, a professional home, and a community space for so many of us.

Over the years, Berta has helped lead important community efforts: HIV prevention and outreach, programs for families, and direct support during some of the hardest moments our community has faced. She leads from lived experience, solidarity, and a strong belief that our people deserve dignity, visibility, and a real future, not just basic services.

Berta's history with Instituto is long and personal. Here she found colleagues, comadres, and a community who walked with her through different stages of life and work. That is part of why this moment is so meaningful: she is not arriving as a stranger, but returning to a place she knows well and cares about deeply.

Looking ahead, Berta’s focus in this new role is clear. With Instituto’s 50th anniversary coming up, she is committed to helping tell our story with pride and to strengthening the partnerships and resources that sustain our work. For her, Instituto is still “a place where we can heal and regain our strength,” and “a space of cultural pride and leadership” for our community.

This role arrives at an important time. Sustainability is not only about money; it is about making sure Instituto remains a living, trusted, community-rooted space — today and for the next generations. It also means building stronger relationships with partners, donors, allies, and community members who believe that our communities should not just survive, but thrive.

Everyone at Instituto is truly excited to welcome back someone who knows the heart of this organization and who returns with a generous, strategic, and deeply human vision. In Berta’s own spirit and words: “I am coming home. Together, we move forward.”