Bryan Paz-Hernandez was born in Miami, in particular Hialeah Hospital. He was raised in Kendall and has lived most of his life in Kendall. He attended Kendale Lakes Elementary School, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, and Coral Reef Senior High School, where he was part of the theater magnet program. Raised by parents from Colombian and Honduran descent, he is proud of his Latino heritage. 

​

In 2018, Bryan graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. with a B.A. in Political Science. Bryan was the first person in his family to graduate from college. During his coursework, he received the Art and Craft of Lobbying Certification for completing a multi-week intensive course. The course delved deep into the mechanics of legislative advocacy in Congress and the work it takes to get a bill through the finish line. While in college, Bryan had the honor of interning at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C.

​

He worked for Catalyst Miami from 2021-2022 as the South Dade Community Engagement Coordinator, where he worked tirelessly organizing community members around issues like the affordability crisis and crime reduction. Bryan led a major initiative to give farmworkers materials that they could barely afford but needed in order to do their jobs. Bryan and his peers raised hundreds of dollars for the purchasing of sunscreen, flashlights and other materials they needed in order to safely do their difficult jobs in the field. This major accomplishment serviced over 60 local farmworkers.

​

In 2022-2023, Bryan was hired to work at United Way Miami as a financial coach. This job opened his eyes to the numerous heartbreaking struggles Miami-Dade residents have to face on a daily basis. In this job, Bryan worked to help homeless people, folks facing eviction, and struggling working class residents. Notably, he was able to help a Miami-Dade resident who had their water disconnected. They shared that they were showering with water bottles. Outraged by this terrible condition, Paz-Hernandez advocated for the person and was able to secure the payment of their bill and water service was reconnected. There were so many other heartbreaking stories that he learned about during his work at this remarkable non-profit.

​

Bryan is a faithful Christian today. His relationship with God is a big part of his life and carries him through daily. 

​

Today, he is a history teacher at a high school where he works tirelessly to prepare our kids for the future. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. In his free time, Bryan enjoys listening to Prince, Celia Cruz and Frank Sinatra, being active in his church, and writing. Bryan’s personal heroes include Juan Guaidó and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.