Center for Community Change

White House Honors Center for Community Change Fellow Pramila Jayapal

For Immediate Release: Monday, May 6, 2013
Contact:
For English language Media:
Donna De La Cruz, ddelacruz@communitychange.org, 202-339-9331, 202-441-3798 (cell)
For Spanish language Media:
Ricardo Ramírez, rramirez@communitychange.org, 202-339-9371, (202) 905-1738 (cell)

Jayapal Selected as one of 15 ‘Champions of Change’
 
(WASHINGTON)—The Center for Community Change’s Distinguished Taconic Fellow Pramila Jayapal was honored today at the White House as a “Champion of Change.” Jayapal is one of 15 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women being recognized for “doing extraordinary things to create a more equal, safe, and prosperous future for their communities and the country,” according to a statement from the White House.
 
“Pramila has an unwavering commitment to justice for immigrants. She is an extraordinary advocate for immigrant communities in her home state of Washington and key leader in the broader fight for immigration reform,” said Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director of the Center for Community Change. “Among other things, her work has helped protect the civil rights of thousands of immigrants and other underrepresented populations across the U.S. and has helped them find their voices.”
 
Jayapal is the founder of OneAmerica, the largest immigrant advocacy group in the state of Washington, where she worked to fight immigrant discrimination, empower immigrant communities and advocate for immigration reform at a national level. She has also held leadership roles for both the Fair Immigration Reform Movement and the Rights Working Group. Aside from her work at the Center, Jayapal is also currently serving as a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Washington Law School and as the Co-Chair of the We Belong Together: Women for Common-Sense Immigration Reform campaign.
 
“I am truly honored to receive this award alongside such an inspiring group of women,” said Jayapal. “While much progress has been made in the fight for immigrant justice, there remains a long road ahead.  I look forward to continuing to work with communities and policymakers alike to find solutions that work with and protect the needs of the people.”
 
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