Samuel Aguilar
Founder, A|R Strategies
I was born in Mexico and raised in the South—two worlds that taught me early on how to build bridges where others saw barriers. Whether it’s navigating language gaps, political divides, or cultural misunderstandings, my work has always come down to one thing: earning trust and helping people feel seen.
Over the past decade, I’ve had the chance to support some of Georgia’s most meaningful campaigns and community efforts. As State Director at FWD.us, I brought together unlikely allies—business leaders, advocacy groups, and elected officials from both sides of the aisle—to move the needle on immigration. I’ve worked with offices as different as Rep. John Lewis and (then) Rep. Ron DeSantis to protect Dreamers and fix our visa system.
At Corners Outreach, I helped launch the Corners Workforce Academy to open up career pathways for Latino workers and their families. I’ve trained nonprofit leaders, coached candidates, and carved out space for honest dialogue—even when the pressure was high and the stakes were political.
What guides me is more than strategy. It’s a belief that people will show up—if you speak to them with cultural honesty and care. I’ve seen conservative voters lead on immigrant rights, watched business leaders shift how they see belonging, and helped folks find common ground through simple things—like a good meal or a shared team.
I’ve been honored to be named one of Georgia’s “50 Most Influential Latinos” (2019, 2020), serve with the American Jewish Committee’s ACCESS program, and help young Latino professionals get connected to state policymaking through the HYPE Public Policy Committee.
My thinking has been shaped by global learning—from graduate work in South Korea to a Master of Public Administration at UGA—but what grounds me most is storytelling. I’m the author of The White Rose, a novel that wrestles with identity, masculinity, and mental health. Because no matter the project, I’ve found stories are what move people—when we let them be honest, vulnerable, and real.