A nun, a lawyer and a community activist will be honored for their work for immigrant rights at Women Leading Change Reception of the Coalition for Humane and Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.
The honorees are Sister Virginia Joseph, attorney Cynthia Anderson-Barker and Esther Partida.
A member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary for more than six decades, Sister Virginia has worked for citizenship for immigrants for nearly 30 years. She was high school administration before becoming involved in immigration issues as volunteer English teacher for immigrants during amnesty program approved by then President Ronald Reagan. Sister Virginia teaches citizenship classes at the Sacred Heart Parish of the Los Angeles community of Lincoln Heights.
Anderson-Barker is a prominent civil rights and criminal defense attorney who defends the civil rights of immigrant women and workers. She has been a member of the National Lawyers Guild and an associate at the Working Peoples Law Center in Echo Park, according her biography on the website of National Police Accountability Project of the NLG.
“In 2007, under the auspices of the NLG, attorney Anderson-Barker helped organize legal representation for hundreds of students who walked out of school during the immigration protests,” says the website. “In cooperation with the Comite Pro Uno she started a legal clinic to stop the Maywood Police from targeting immigrants and impounding their vehicles.”
Partida is a community leader and advocate for immigrants in Pasadena and Greater Los Angeles.
The annual CHIRLA’s Women Leading Change Reception helps to raise money for CHIRLA’s programs, including worker organizing and the education of domestic and other women workers on how to protect themselves from job-related injuries, sexual harassment and wage theft, according to a press release.
“Immigrant women workers, particularly those without documents, are the most vulnerable to workplace exploitation and abuse,” says Angelica Salas, CHIRLA’s executive director. “Funding from this event also helps support our policy and advocacy work fighting for legislation that will improve the lives of immigrant women. This work is vital to supporting and empowering immigrant women workers and we need your support.”
The reception will take place Saturday, December 1 at Homegirl Café, 130 W. Bruno St., in Los Angeles.
Tickets cost $50 for the general public and $25 for CHIRLA members and students.
For ticket information, call (213) 201-4452 or email at sfuentes@chirla.org.