Hernan Carvente-Martinez is the Founder and CEO of Healing Ninjas, Inc. a social enterprise seeking to expand access to health and wellness resources for communities of color and end mental health stigma. He is a Chicano social entrepreneur, community organizer, and leader in the fight to end youth incarceration. Currently, he is also the National Youth Partnership Strategist at the Youth First Initiative, a national campaign focused on closing youth prisons and reinvesting that money into community alternatives. He is a member of the Council of Criminal Justice, serves on the board of Community Connection for Youth, and is a member of several philanthropic funds that support the leadership of directly impacted communities. Previously, he worked as a Program Analyst at the Vera Institute of Justice, where he worked to ensure that youth and families were included in statewide policy reform efforts around the country. He was awarded the “Spirit of Youth Award” by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice and the “Next Generation Champion for Chance” award by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is also a 2021 Reebok Human Rights Award winner.
