Latin America Ambassador Program: Six Months of Learning and Growth
Six months into leading Hive’s work in Latin America, Alexia joins our Community Coordinator, Nazlı, to look back on what’s unfolded — the connections built, the lessons learned, and how they’re guiding what comes next.
Nazlı: Before we dive into your work, could you share how Hive’s early efforts to support the Latin American animal advocacy community developed into the creation of the Ambassador role?
Alexia: Before the official launch of the Global Ambassador Program, Hive had already begun engaging with advocates in Latin America through the #r-latin-america Slack channel.
I was already a fan of Hive and could see so much potential in the space. I reached out to Sofia, Hive’s Co-founder and Executive Director, to share a few ideas I had about the region. She invited me to help as a volunteer Channel Lead for #r-latin-america on Hive Slack — and that’s where it all began. I started sharing opportunities, helping community members feel welcome, and connecting them with one another on Hive Slack.
By the end of 2024, we had hosted our first Spanish-speaking event: Hive Community Conversations (Introducción a Hive para Activistas de Derechos Animales en LATAM). This event made it clear: people were looking for spaces to connect in their own language.
Later, at the AVA Summit Brazil 2024, I met Kevin, Hive’s Managing Director, and together we connected with many incredible farmed animal advocates — people looking for collaboration, funding, or volunteers. I went on to attend several other conferences, meeting even more inspiring farmed animal advocates and professionals along the way.
These early efforts helped us understand the region’s potential and diversity, but they were not yet as structured or in-depth as what we’ve been able to achieve since the program began. The Latin America Ambassador role has allowed us to dive deeper: building trust, organizing insights systematically, and strengthening connections between local farmed animal advocates, the global farmed animal welfare movement, and the Hive community.
Nazlı: Why are you excited about this program, and what uncertainties did you have starting out?
Alexia: Latin America is home to more than 650 million people and billions of farmed animals. Despite this enormous potential, many advocates here lack access to global networks, resources, and learning opportunities.
What excites me most is the creativity, resilience, and commitment of the people in this region. There are extraordinary farmed animal advocates doing meaningful work — often under difficult circumstances and with very limited support.
At the beginning, one of my main uncertainties was how to approach this work strategically. Latin America is sometimes seen as homogeneous, but when you live here, you realize how different our realities truly are. That diversity is real, and it also means that a single approach could easily overlook important nuances — and I didn’t want to make that mistake.
I was also unsure how to reach advocates in countries that were not yet part of Hive, and how to start building trust across so many different contexts. These doubts helped me begin by mapping the region through conversations, and adapting the plan along the way.
Nazlı: Once you stepped into the role, what did your first few months look like?
Alexia: When I officially stepped into the ambassador role, my focus shifted from informal community building to understanding the region more strategically — through listening, mapping, and connecting. Of course, I also had to stay flexible and open to the possibility that my initial plans might not be the best path forward. Fortunately, I could discuss any adjustments with our team, and with their shared perspectives and experience, I was able to adapt my actions along the way.
During these first six months, I held 50+ online one-on-one meetings, plus several in-person conversations during events, with advocates and organizations from 11 Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. I also ran the first regional survey to better understand the needs, challenges, and priorities of farmed animal advocates in the region.
I attended major conferences such as AVA Summit, EAGxCDMX 2025, EAG San Francisco, and Encuentro por los Animales (ExA), as well as the launch of the Jaulas Abiertas 2025 program — helping strengthen offline-to-online connections and amplify Latin America’s role in the global farmed animal advocacy movement.
Nazlı: Have you started seeing any key insights or outcomes emerging from this work?
Alexia: Yes — and many of them have shaped how I now approach the role.
One of the main insights is that many advocates and organizations across the region are doing great work in isolation, often unaware of others pursuing similar goals within their own countries. Strengthening those connections can multiply their impact and prevent duplicated efforts.
Another pattern I’ve noticed is a growing gap between grassroots and more professional farmed animal advocacy groups. Both have uniquely valuable assets: grassroots initiatives often have deep community roots, while professional organizations bring structure and strategy. But there are very few bridges between the two. I’m excited to see how Hive can help close this gap, and connect these groups.
I’ve also seen how language and digital access remain barriers to inclusion. English fluency is not widespread, and many advocates are not yet using tools, like AI or data-driven resources, that could make their work easier.
At the same time, I’ve learned that indigenous and local communities can become strong allies for the legal and cultural work in favor of animals in countries such as, Ecuador and Mexico.
Despite these challenges, there have already been encouraging outcomes:
One advocate, Gabriela Arévalo, secured a volunteer role in Screwworm Free Future thanks to connections made through Hive.
I connected a lawyer in Argentina, Lorena Bilicic who offered pro bono legal advice to AVA Argentina 2026.
At least five organizations applied for grants for the first time, and one of those projects has already been approved.
I supported Karina Quinatoa Ulcuango, an Indigenous environmental and vegan advocate, in her application to speak at AVA Argentina 2026.
We’re currently accompanying at least three new projects that aim to form organizations specializing in areas not yet covered in Spanish, that can provide operational and strategic support to the movement.
We’ve also established a partnership with the Effective Altruism group at the Polytechnic University of Yucatán, who will offer an “Intro to EA” program in Spanish for Hive community members.
Thanks to the 1:1 conversations, we have now confirmed five “Hive Connect: Latin America” sessions with many people including, Josué Cabrera, Melina Tessei, María Llanos Martell, and Cecilia Grenón. Hive Connect: Latin America will be a series of online workshops led by specialists on topics identified as priorities through both the regional survey I conducted, and individual conversations I have had.
We’re also working on the launch of a free mentorship program during AVA Argentina 2026, designed to connect experienced professionals with advocates seeking guidance in specific areas, regardless of their level of experience.And finally, we’ve begun identifying participants for the Regional Advisory Panel, a collaboration between Hive and Stray Dog Institute that seeks to gather up to 300 advocates from the Global South to develop a clearer picture of the movement’s progress and challenges in these regions.
Through all of these experiences, I’ve learned that trust and human connection are often the starting point for any and all real collaboration. Listening first has opened more doors than any formal plan could.
Nazlı: What challenges have you encountered so far?
Alexia: One of the main challenges has been navigating the diversity of contexts within Latin America. Political and economic instability, institutional crises, and (in some regions) communities affected by organized crime create highly uneven working conditions. What works in one country may be impossible for another. So, adapting strategies to local realities while keeping a regional perspective is an ongoing learning process.
Language is another major barrier. Limited English fluency restricts access to international opportunities and resources, making it essential to expand materials and programs in Spanish and Portuguese.
Operationally, many advocates are volunteers juggling multiple responsibilities, so even when motivation is high, time and bandwidth can slow down coordination and follow-ups. Supporting such a wide range of needs, from grassroots activists to more established organizations, requires flexible tools and formats. The mentorship program and Hive Connect workshops are direct responses to this.
A key personal learning has been understanding that progress is not linear. Some processes need time to mature, while others benefit from moving quickly. Knowing when to slow down and when to accelerate has been essential for building sustainable collaborations.
Nazlı: What are your key goals for the rest of the pilot year?
Alexia: For the next few months, my focus will be on consolidating what we’ve started: turning the connections, ideas, and pilots from the first half of the year into structured and lasting initiatives.
Some of the key goals include:
Hosting the first Hive Connect session, ensuring each event provides valuable and practical insights for farmed animal advocates in the region, while also creating spaces for open dialogue and networking in Spanish.
Implementing the mentorship program during AVA Argentina 2026, offering personalized guidance for farmed animal advocates, who want to deepen their work in specific areas.
Strengthening partnerships with groups such as the EA Polytechnic University of Yucatán, EA Brazil, and others to create a network of shared learning and resources in Latin America.
Identifying new participants for the Regional Advisory Panel, in collaboration with Stray Dog Institute, to ensure strong Latin American representation and insights in the global discussion.
And overall, supporting farmed animal advocates across the region in accessing global opportunities — from funding and professional development to networking spaces where their work can gain visibility.
These goals build directly on the lessons and relationships from the first six months, with the aim of making Hive’s presence in Latin America more tailored, relevant, and empowering for advocates across the region.
Nazlı: And what’s next — how will you build on this momentum?
Alexia: Over the next months, I’ll focus on strengthening and expanding what we’ve started. That means continuing to host Hive Connect workshops and Community Conversations, refining the mentorship program, and deepening collaborations with partners such the EA groups in Yucatán and Brazil.
I also want to explore new forms of peer learning and cross-country collaboration, where advocates can share not only what they do, but how they do it, their strategies, challenges, and lessons learned, to strengthen the regional network as a whole.
We’re seeking USD 24,000 to continue this work for another year. The first months have already shown strong results in connecting advocates, launching workshops, and opening international opportunities for the region. With another year of support, we can deepen collaboration and achieve stronger gains for farmed animals across Latin America.
Nazlı: Before we wrap up, what’s something you’d like readers to take away from this update?
Alexia: If you care about building a stronger, more connected movement for farmed animals, please consider donating to Hive during our end-of-year campaign. Your support directly sustains initiatives like the Global Ambassador Program, which we’re aiming to extend for another year with a goal of USD 24,000. This funding will allow us to strengthen regional coordination in Latin America, expand access to learning opportunities, and help advocates collaborate more effectively for animals.
And if you’re based in Latin America or just want to learn more about this program, you can reach out to me on Hive Slack or at alexia[at]joinhive.org. I’d love to connect, share ideas, and explore how we can collaborate.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update, and for everything you do to help build a more coordinated and compassionate movement for animals.
We would love to see you around at Hive!
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