Árelis Figueroa

Árelis is an NYS Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, whose practice is focused on spirituality and recovery. She holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, and is seeking ordination with the United Church of Christ. Árelis served as Associate Pastor at Christ St. John Lutheran Church and as Latino Outreach Minister at Chatterton Hill, UCC in White Plains, NY, and she is currently a member of The Riverside Church, where she coordinates the Latino Ministry. A community activist and organizer, Árelis is a member leader of Community Voices Heard, a member’s led Multiracial organization that works to build power in NYS, through grassroots organizing. Árelis is a fellow graduate of the Center of Popular Education in Sao Paulo Brazil (CESEP), with a focus on Latin American Liberation Theology and popular education. She is also a tri-chair of the NYS Poor People’s Campaign.

“The gospel of Christ compels us to work for justice and peace in order to build the kin-dom of God in our midst” -Árelis Figueroa