Gabriela Pickett

Research Director, Unitarian Fellowship for World Peace

Gabriela Z. Pickett, a Kettering Foundation 2026 Dayton Democracy Fellow, is a Mexican-born public high school educator, visual artist, and community organizer whose work is rooted in the belief that democracy begins with being a voice for those who do not yet have one. She is the founder of Camp Esperanza—a grassroots support network for immigrant families navigating detention, displacement, and systemic barriers. Through this work, she has helped turn community crises into creative, dignifying solutions. Pickett has partnered with Welcome Dayton, the Ohio Immigrant Solidarity Network, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), the Unitarian Fellowship for World Peace, and numerous Dayton schools and cultural institutions. She previously served as a member of the Dayton Public School Board of Education. Her work blends arts, language justice, and civic empowerment to open pathways for participation among Dayton’s newest Americans. Guided by the conviction that every problem reveals an opportunity for collective action, Pickett continues building a more just, inclusive, and culturally vibrant democracy in Dayton. Pickett received her bachelor of arts and master’s degrees from Wright State University and her doctorate in international education from Northcentral University.