Cynthia Olivares
Community Organizer, Increase The Peace Chicago
2025 Chicago Peace Fellow
Cynthia Olivares, born and raised in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood to an immigrant Mexican family, is deeply connected to her community’s challenges. Through her work with Increase the Peace, she advocates for change and empowerment. Inspired by her family’s experiences with mental illness, Cynthia aims to establish a mental health facility in Back of the Yards to provide crucial resources and support for her community’s well-being.