WIlliams, Jumaane

Jumaane WIlliams

Jumaane WIlliams was elected New York City Public Advocate in a Special Election in 2019 on a platform of truly affordable, income targeted housing, anti-gun violence measures, fair policing, equity, and social justice issues.  In the City Council, Jumaane was an affecter of change, passing landmark legislation, including the Community Safety Act, which created the Office of Inspector General for the New York Police Department, the Fair Chance Act to combat employment discrimination.Williams, a former City Council Member from Brooklyn, has quickly made his mark on the office of Public Advocate, restructuring the office to empower staff to prioritize community engagement, outreach, and service.  He has also passed more legislation in his first 18 months in office than any Public Advocate has in their first full term, including key bills related to housing, criminal justice, and workers rights.

Siquieros, Yadira

Yadira Siquieros

Yadira Siquieros is a proud Texican from the El Paso/Juarez area.  After completing her master’s degree, she found the drive and opportunity to become a young organizer with the Wendy Davis Campaign for Governor.  Later, she discovered that Unions were still a "thing" and jumped on the opportunity to organize janitorial and healthcare workers across Texas.  After 3 years of doing that she decided to move across the country to work on the higher ed campaigns in Washington State.  After a total of 5 years in labor organizing, she decided to finally cross out one of her bucket list items (presidential campaign) and drove halfway across the country to Las Vegas, NV to help facilitate the C4 coalition with America Votes. Two years later, she found herself missing out on the front-end organizing work (building power for working people) and thanks to Cia/NDWA, she will be able to expand upon that work. In her spare time, Yadira enjoys shredding the trails on her diamondback bike or her Jeep (Joe Biden). She also enjoys playing video games. Most importantly, she loves spending time with her lab - Sir Mateo Drake - and her three nephlings.

Serrano, Kimberly

Kimberly Serrano

Kimberly Serrano is the Messaging Research Project Manager at the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC). She leads a complex, multi-phase research and messaging project that explores how to build inclusive narratives that dignify and humanize immigrants. She has spent most of her adult life navigating the complex emotions, ideologies, and experiences associated with pro- and anti-immigrant sentiment, all with an orientation toward healing and bridge-building. Kimberly comes to CIPC with a decade of project management and research experience working with communities in California and Mexico to affect social, environmental, and economic justice. Kimberly holds graduate degrees from UCLA in Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) and Latin American Studies (MA), including an emphasis in international migration. She earned her BA in Art History at UCLA.

​​Sarr, Seydi

​​Seydi Sarr

​​Seydi Sarr is the founder and Director of ABISA (African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs), a nonprofit that helps African and Black Immigrants in Michigan and nationwide know their rights, access resources, and become socially invested and civically engaged. Seydi is a court interpreter, a Detroit Equity Action Lab fellow, a Michigan Political Leadership Program fellow and a New American Leaders fellow. Seydi curates intersectional conversations, fosters youth development, and teaches African dance. A Senegalese native, Seydi is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Social Work (BSW) and Marygrove School of Social Justice (M.A. SJ).

Sandoval, Mario

Mario Sandoval

Mario Sandoval moved to Las Vegas when he was four-years-old from Mexico where he was born. Mario and his six siblings were raised by a single mother. He started working at Binion’s Horseshoe at 16-years-old and has been working full time there for 39 years.He has been an active union member, shop steward, and volunteer organizing for many years and participated in the 9-month Binion’s Horseshoe Strike in 1990. Recently he fought to win the Right to Return to his job. He was fired during the pandemic, was out of work for over a year, and recently back to work because of SB386. Mario has shared his story with national and local press, he has spoken directly with VP Kamala Harris about the importance of workers not being abandoned as the economy recovers, and he has testified in front of Congress.Mario Sandoval, food server at Binion’s steakhouse: “I’m happy that we won Right to Return! With the power of the union, I’ll be able to go back to work where I was employed for 36 years. Our union is what makes the middle class in Nevada and I’m so proud to be a Culinary Union member today and always.”

Rivera, Marifer

Marifer Rivera

Marifer Rivera is the Community Education Manager for Comunidades Unidas. She specializes in the Community Education team, in Sexual Health, COVID-19 education and Food Distribution. Marifer is an immigrant from Mexico and has lived in Utah since she was little. She is passionate about social justice and working daily to serve her community. She has been able to be part of community groups that offer support and resources to immigrants and it is there that she began to get involved with the community. She has volunteered with Comunidades Unidas since 2017 and became an intern in the Community Engagement & Organizing team in 2019 where her passion for community organization was born. Marifer just graduated from the University of Utah with a B.A in Political Science. She loves animals, dancing, studying, reading, playing Animal Crossing and chess and loves Harry Potter!

Rajkishun, Rovika

Rovika Rajkishun

Rovika Rajkishun is the Deputy Director of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC). Most recently she was the Interim Co-Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and its sister 501(c)4, NYIC Action. Rovika serves on the Board of Directors of Girls for Gender Equity and Neo Philanthropy Action Fund. Rovika was named as a City and State’s 2021 Power 100  and 2021 Nonprofit Power 100. Born and raised in Guyana, Rovika immigrated to Brooklyn, NY at age ten and was undocumented for a decade. As a member of an extended mixed status family, she brings lived experience and the hopes and aspirations of her family to her work. Rovika is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University.

Panahi, Anahita

Anahita Panahi

Anahita Panahi joined We Are All America three years ago as the California Refugee Organizer, part of a local coalition between CHIRLA, IRC-LA, and CAIR-CA. In her role, she builds grassroots support, convenes various stakeholders, sustains grass-tops leadership, and fosters welcoming practices for refugees' rights and needs in California. She is also the Co-chair of the national Opportunity For All Campaign and the Chair of the Advocacy Committee at the Refugee Forum of Los Angeles (RFLA). Her direct experience as an immigrant and being the daughter of refugees is what led her to advocacy work in the Middle East and the U.S.

Anahita received her B.A in International Security and Conflict Resolution at San Diego State University and her M.A in Political Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. 

Nguyen, Duy

Duy Nguyen

Duy Nguyen is Vice President & Chief  Operating Officer for the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), a Nevada non profit and non-partisan community development organization serving the APIA communities.  Mr. Nguyen pivoted his career from  working with Fortune 500 companies - including Verizon Wireless, MGM Resorts  International, and Cox Communications - to focus on investment, education, and  engagement of Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA).  In June of 2018, Nguyen founded One APIA Nevada, a grassroots, non-profit  organization that advocates for policies empowering everyday Asian Pacific Islander  Nevadans. As executive director, Nguyen oversees a state-wide operation to educate  and galvanize the APIA Nevadan constituency - every year, not just election cycles.  In January 2019, Nguyen was appointed to a 4-year term as  a Planning Commissioner for Clark County, making him the first APIA person to serve as  a County Planning Commissioner in the history of Nevada. Nguyen holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, and a Master of Business  Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Phoenix.

Muñoz, Cecilia

Cecilia Muñoz

Cecilia Muñoz is Sr. Advisor at New America and co-chair of welcome USA. She is national leader in public policy and public interest technology with nearly three decades of experience in the nonprofit sector and 8 years of service on President Obama’s senior team. She joined New America in 2017 as a vice president, leading local initiatives and building a team on public interest technology. She returned to New America as a senior advisor in early 2021 after taking leave to lead the domestic and economic policy team for the Biden/Harris Transition. Previously, she served for eight years on President Obama’s senior staff. Before working in government, she spent 20 years at the National Council of La Raza (now UNIDOS US). Cecilia received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2000 for her work on immigration and civil rights, and is a trustee of the Kresge, MacArthur and Joyce Foundations.  She advises the Open Society and JPB Foundations, and serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.  In 2020, she published the award-winning More Than Ready: Be Strong and Be You...and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise.

Morales, Apolonio

Apolonio Morales

Apolonio Morales joined CHIRLA in 2014 as political director and transitioned to external affairs director in 2019. Previously, he was a labor organizer for the California Nurses Association/United Steelworkers’ Healthcare Workers Alliance and a community organizer for Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO) and Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action (BOCA), where he served as interim director. He was national immigration organizer for Faith in Action’s Campaign for Citizenship. A child of undocumented immigrants, Polo has dedicated his life to advancing pro-immigrant policies and changing the anti-immigrant narrative in the United States. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA in English in 1999.

Mohammed, Denzil

Denzil Mohammed

Denzil Mohammed is Director of The ILC Public Education Institute Denzil joined The ILC in 2011 and directs the work of The ILC Public Education Institute including specialized online education, research initiatives with the Institute for Immigration Research, conference presentations and collaborative events that promote immigrants as assets to America. He has a decade of experience in journalism and previously worked for swissnex Boston/Consulate of Switzerland. Denzil has an MS in Global Communications from Northeastern University and a BA in Communication Studies/Literatures in English from University of the West Indies.

Markell, Jack

Jack Markell

Jack Markell served from 2009-2017 as the Governor of Delaware. During his tenure, Delaware emerged from the great recession with the strongest job growth in the region and among the best private sector wage growth in the country. Mr. Markell led significant investments in improved early childhood education, language immersion programs, heightened college access for low-income students and some of the most aggressive workforce development efforts in the country. Previously, Mr. Markell served ten years as Delaware's State Treasurer. Prior to public service, Mr. Markell helped lead the wireless technology revolution as the 13th employee at Nextel (a name he coined), where he served as Senior Vice President for Corporate Development. Mr. Markell serves on the National Board of Directors of Jobs for America's Graduates and as a trustee of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Lozada, Sussie

Sussie Lozada

Sussie Lozada is the first Women elected as Secretary Treasurer for Unite Here Local 100 and former Political Director, UNITEHERE Local 100, Founder of Women for History and Women Organizing Neighborhood, former Director of the New York Civic Participation Project. She was born in the Dominican Republic. She is well-known as an activist in her native country and in New York City. She holds two Bachelor’s degrees; Political Science and Behavioral Science. As an organizer, Sussie has been involved in winning many important campaign victories. The most recent victories include: The Healthy Terminal Act in NY and NJ, Worker Retention Law for Food Service Workers, Increase of $19 Minimum wage for all airport workers including Airline Catering, $15 Minimum Wage in NYS, $ 10.10 Minimum Wage for JFK, La Guardia and Newark airport’s Concession workers, and Minimum wages for tipped employees in NYS. As an immigrant, feminist, single mother, and Latina Muslim, she strongly believes in social justice and the rights of women, immigrants, and workers.

Lin, Vida

Vida Lin

Vida Lin is founder and current president of the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC). Based in Las Vegas, ACDC is the first and only non-profit community development corporation in the state of Nevada established to assist and empower one of the fastest growing AAPI’s communities in the U.S. She received national recognition for this achievement through the United States Congress, among many other accolades. She actively serves the community by being on various boards in Las Vegas as well as nationally. She was one of the co-founders of the OCA-Las Vegas Chapter, and the MGM Women’s Leadership Conference.

Lessard, Gabrielle

Gabrielle Lessard

Gabrielle Lessard is Senior Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center. Gabrielle Lessard specializes in the laws and policies affecting access to health care for low-income immigrants and their families. She is an active member of the California Health4All Coalition and the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign. Gabrielle’s work includes writing articles and policy analyses, providing technical assistance, and presenting training to legal and social service providers, government agencies, legislative staff, and community-based organizations.

Photos of NIIC across this site are the work of our talented team of photographers over the years, including: Carolina Kroon (lead), Oliver Contreras, Anja Hitzenberg, Phil Soto, Marcin Szczepanski and Stephanie Williams.