Denysse Camarena is a first-generation Mexican American who was born and raised in Southwest Detroit. She moved to Lincoln Park in her teenage years where she learned the importance of maintaining culture and language. Despite moving, she kept attending Southwest Detroit schools and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Criminology, with a minor in Social Work from the University of Michigan–Dearborn in 2023. Denysse started her own food truck business, Hip-Bachi, shortly after graduating. She then found her calling in organizing where she worked heavily with the residents of Detroit and primarily served the Hispanic community. Denysse strives to provide clear, accessible language to support and empower immigrant families. Her organizing efforts prioritize environmental justice, immigration rights, and reproductive justice. She supported the implementation of the second phase of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) during the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, serving as Field Manager and conducting household surveys throughout Southwest Detroit. She subsequently served as a Case Manager following the 2025 water main break, conducting outreach to more than 300 households to assess recovery progress and connect residents with necessary resources after the flooding. Additionally, Denysse co-led the ‘Promotoras de Agua’ project at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, where water testing kits were distributed to preselected households to help identify the presence of lead in potable water. She remains committed to advancing her knowledge of community health challenges and continues her work addressing water quality concerns in communities extending into the Downriver area.
Denysse can be reached at Denysse@sdevweb.org*

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