The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) proudly presented the 2026 CHLI Wendy Martinez Community Engagement Award to Paul Rampersaud, a Spring 2024 CHLI Global Leader, during its annual Future Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 11, 2026. The award was presented to Rampersaud by Lucinda Borque, President of the CHLI Alumni Association (CAA), in recognition of his leadership, service, and commitment to creating opportunities through his nonprofit, NextGen Scholars for Change (NGSFC).
Established by the CAA, the Wendy Martinez Community Engagement Award is presented annually to a CHLI alumnus who exemplifies the Institute’s mission through community engagement, leadership, and service. The award honors those who continue to make a meaningful impact beyond their CHLI program experience.
That impact is reflected in Rampersaud’s founding of NGSFC. After completing the CHLI Global Leaders Program in 2024, he founded NGSFC shortly thereafter. Drawing on the leadership skills, professional network, and firsthand experience he gained through CHLI, he turned his vision into a nonprofit dedicated to empowering first-generation students through mentorship, leadership development, and hands-on public service opportunities.
The award was established in honor of Wendy Martinez, a 2005 CHLI Alumna and founding member of the CHLI Alumni Association (CAA), whose life was tragically cut short in Washington, D.C., in 2018. Following her passing, Wendy’s mother, Cora Martinez, and her brother, Juan Carlos Martinez, together with family and close friends, founded The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project to carry forward her passion for service and leadership.
Created in Wendy’s honor, The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project works to empower women by driving positive change across three priority areas: women in technology, women’s entrepreneurship, and community strengthening with a focus on running. The organization also invests in future leaders by providing scholarships and grants that support educational and professional opportunities, ensuring that Wendy’s legacy continues to inspire lasting impact.
From CHLI Global Leader to nonprofit founder, Rampersaud has continued to build on the leadership and public service values he developed through the program. After participating as a Spring 2024 Global Leader, interning on Capitol Hill, and completing his corporate placement with CHLI Advisory Council Member Tyson Foods, he now serves as a Grassroots Advocacy Associate at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Drawing inspiration from his CHLI experience, Rampersaud founded NextGen Scholars for Change (NGSFC), a nonprofit organization that empowers first-generation college students in the Greater Chicago area through mentorship, public policy, and government experience. His goal was to expand access to the same transformative opportunities that helped shape his own career. Now in its second year, NGSFC has doubled its cohort to four interns, and CHLI President & CEO Mary Ann Gomez Orta serves on the organization’s Advisory Board.
“So, as I accept this award, I hope we all can strive to leave a legacy like Wendy, and our actions can be forwarded in providing opportunities to others and making sure that we can set a path that others can follow,” said Paul Rampersaud.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating Wendy’s remarkable legacy and the inspiring leaders who continue to carry her vision forward.
To learn more about Wendy’s life and lasting impact, we invite you to watch the Wendy Martinez documentary and visit the Wendy Martinez Legacy Project to continue supporting its mission.
ABOUT CHLI
The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) is the premier organization founded by former Members of Congress to advance economic prosperity with a focus on social responsibility and global competitiveness. CHLI is dedicated to advancing the Hispanic community’s diversity of thought and fostering a broad awareness of the heritage, interests, and views of Americans of Hispanic and Portuguese descent.
For more information about CHLI and its programs, please contact Mary Ann Gomez Orta at mgomezorta@chli.org.