Fidelia Salazar

Fidelia emigrated from Durango, Mexico, more than 25 years ago in search of better opportunities for herself and her family. As an immigrant woman, she faced challenges ranging from language barriers and cultural differences to experiences of discrimination. Rather than allowing these obstacles to limit her, Fidelia pursued education and personal growth—completing an English as a Second Language (ESL) program and earning a certificate as a Bilingual Office Assistant from Triton College. She also completed several of FLAP’s Leadership Avanza! trainings, including one focused on Management Styles, which helped strengthen her leadership capacity.

Over the years, Fidelia has become a respected leader and advocate for immigrant and low-wage workers. Through her involvement with nonprofit organizations, she has worked to empower immigrant families and promote workers’ rights. Fidelia has organized and facilitated Know Your Rights workshops, led citizenship and DACA informational sessions, and engaged in advocacy campaigns to advance laws protecting immigrant workers. She has also assisted individuals in completing critical applications such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), and Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE), helping families navigate complex immigration systems with care and precision.

During her time with FLAP, Fidelia conducted extensive outreach to low-wage workers across Illinois in industries including farming, landscaping, canneries, greenhouses, meatpacking, nurseries, poultry, restaurants, and snow plowing. She distributed thousands of labor rights materials, delivered over 2,000 direct resources, facilitated more than 80 workshops, and helped administer federal aid programs to support immigrant and Latino workers.

Fidelia is widely recognized for her empathy, dedication, and strong communication skills, making her a trusted ally in the fight for social justice. Beyond her nonprofit work, she has volunteered in local schools, served on parent committees, and received multiple awards for her leadership and community service. Her journey reflects resilience, compassion, and a deep commitment to advocacy.

Today, Fidelia continues to be guided by her belief that knowledge is power: “I am deeply committed to empowering others through knowledge of their rights and access to resources. I firmly believe that an informed community is a strong community.”