On this journey, I have met wonderful people who have made it possible for me to get here, always reminding me of my origins and my roots. I hope this new chapter will continue to allow me to contribute to a better world.” With these words, Ana Karina García Martínez reflects on a path shaped by resilience, purpose, and community.  

Recently named an Ashoka Fellow and having participated in the initial phase of Hello Accelerator, Ana Karina has emerged over the past decade as a leading voice in Latin America for migrant inclusion, challenging traditional models of humanitarian aid and advocating for approaches that center dignity, agency, and long-term integration. She seeks to unleash migrants’ potential as changemakers, providing them with tools and connecting them to new life projects. She has been selected as a newly appointed Ashoka Fellow for her work with the ‘Juntos se puede’ (Together it’s Possible) Foundation, an organization she started with the aim of fostering the foundations for vibrant communities and a thriving diaspora. 

Originally from Venezuela, Karina arrived in Colombia searching not just for safety, but for purpose. Her involvement in student politics led to her being targeted by the Venezuelan regime and facing an arrest warrant for her participation in street protests. In 2018, she was forced to flee to Venezuela under precarious conditions due to political persecution. She entered as a refugee, in precarious conditions and without the documentation for her permanent stay. Her future in her country was truncated as the Venezuelan State denied her the possibility of returning. But Colombia opened its doors to her. 

In the midst of one of the largest displacement crises in the region, she saw a gap between what people on the move needed and what most integration programs offered. That’s when she decided to act. 

In 2019, Ana Karina founded the ‘Juntos se puede’ (Together it’s Possible) Foundation, through which she implemented her strategy at various levels.  One of her most impactful contributions is the creation of the Modelo 360, a comprehensive framework designed to address the complex and interrelated needs of people on the move in Colombia. “It seeks to reduce the vulnerability of families and move toward poverty alleviation combining legal support, economic opportunity, mental health care, and community leadership development for people on the move. Our current focus is on migrants, refugees, returnees, and host communities as a mechanism for integration”, she explains, addressing the necessary understanding that people don’t migrate in parts. They migrate with their bodies, minds, histories, and dreams. 

But her impact doesn't stop there. Ana Karina is a systems thinker who works across sectors, building unlikely alliances between policymakers, business leaders, and migrant communities. She has a system and database that she shares and frequently makes proposals and reviews the realities concerning the regularization of the Venezuelan migrant population. Also, she presents reports to the Second Commission of the Senate of the Republic of Colombia, which serve as a foundation for their debates and contribute to influencing inter-party discussions, and making it very clear that designing policy with, and not for, is the way to go.  

She insists on “shifting the narrative towards migration as an opportunity” and believes in working hard to fulfill her vision of transforming integration ecosystems in host countries.  

On being selected by Ashoka to be a part of the largest global network of social entrepreneurs, Ana Karina reflects: “Being an Ashoka Fellow means having the opportunity to be part of a community that dreams, just like I do, that we can transform the world we live in — not only by teaching people how to fish, but by transforming the entire fishing ecosystem. It means not feeling alone on this journey and being able to plow the path together”. 

In a global context where anti-migrant rhetoric is on the rise and displacement is often framed as a crisis, Ana Karina’s work is a powerful reminder that migration is not a problem to be solved, but a force that, if embraced with equity and vision, can drive innovation and opportunity.  

Ana Karina's stipend is covered by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and will allow her to dedicate herself full-time to the advancement of her social innovation work, driving her venture to a point of sustainability, impact, and growth.