Carmen D. Llanes is founding executive director of GAVA, a coalition advancing health equity and community power in Austin’s Eastern Crescent. A longtime organizer, she has led local efforts in infrastructural equity, food and language access, land use, and anti-displacement. In 2024, she ran for mayor of Austin, placing second with more than 20 percent of the vote. Carmen continues to champion resident-led policy solutions and equitable city planning
Capital Absorption
