After nearly ten years of public service at FIU, Cynthia became the Executive Director of the South Florida American Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO). In that capacity, Cynthia created and led various labor and community coalitions to win higher wages and benefits for low-income families in Miami-Dade County, lobbied for equitable development, and advocated for pro-immigration legislation. In 2017, Cythia was awarded a four year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to lead a Labor Community Coalition to address Climate Change in South Florida, the first to be awarded in Florida. From 2020-2022, Cynthia returned to local politics and to lead Miami-Dade County’s legislative team for district 7.  In her capacity as District Director, she led a strategist team to craft county-wide legislation on affordable housing, creating the first ever Tenant Bill of Rights.  Her portfolio included resiliency projects focused on improving local transportation, increasing the use of micro-mobility and access to food security for the most vulnerable. Cynthia has presented her research findings at county hearings throughout the state and has testified for state senators, appeared on numerous national television interviews, radio interviews and worked closely with print media. Cynthia has also worked on producing short documentaries on labor and immigrant issues, and most recently worked closely with a Netflix film crew to document the lives of immigrant workers rebuilding Florida after Hurricane Michael. Cynthia obtained a B.A. in International Relations, with a concentration in Labor Studies and Latin America and Caribbean Studies, and M.S. in Adult Education with a focus on Labor Studies and Immigration. Cynthia is from Mexico, having immigrated to the U.S. at the age of five. She lives in Miami, Florida with her partner and son.