Bernard "Bernie" A. Gomez, is the Programs and Leadership Coordinator at MILPA. He is a Chicano Indigenous man with roots in Coahuila and Zacatecas. Raised in Watsonville, CA, he's dedicated to building people power and driving change in his community. He focuses on budget and policy advocacy across Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, empowering young men through La Cultura Cura youth programs. 

His advocacy is deeply rooted in lived experience, making him a true "barrio scholar." Cultural healing, political education, and community circulos are central to his work. He serves as a Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commissioner and is a member of the PCSF People’s Coalition, actively working to repeal and replace the 1994 Crime Bill. A Forward Promise Fellowship and a CSUMB Civic Action Award highlight his dedication. In his personal time, he enjoys hiking and watching movies, which enrich his life and fuel his passion for community.