The World Fellows

Executive Director, Magis Americas

Cecilia Barja-Chamas runs Magis Americas, an independent nonprofit organization based in New York City, whose mission is to expand the availability of quality education and vocational training for people living in marginalized communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, Barja-Chamas was Chief Executive of Human Development for the city of La Paz and the youngest-ever La Paz City Council member. She helped found Bolivia’s Movimiento Sin Miedo, a political party devoted to eliminating corruption and addressing the pressing problem of poverty in Bolivia. Her passionate and eloquent advocacy on behalf of the urban poor in Bolivia propelled her political career; she has also campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the city’s impoverished youth, organizing scholarships and work programs and overseeing the formation of a Municipal Youth Council.