Erika Andiola

Andiola in 2016

Erika Andiola is an immigration rights activist located in Metropolitan Phoenix.[1] She is the Chief Advocacy Officer for the organization RAICES. Her previous political roles include Political Director for the organization Our Revolution,[2] Press Secretary for Latino Outreach in Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign,[3] and Congressional staffer for then-Representative Kyrsten Sinema.[4] Much of Andiola's work has been driven by her own journey as an undocumented Mexican female immigrant.[1]

Biography

Andiola's mother brought her, and her brother and sister, into the United States from Mexico, in 1998, when Andiola was 11 years old.[5][6][7] They were fleeing domestic violence.[8] Andiola graduated with a degree in psychology from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2009.[9] During the time the US Senate was deliberating on the Development, Relief, and Education for Minors Act (Dream Act), Andiola came forward publicly as a Dreamer.[10] In 2012 she was granted a deportation reprieve.[11]

Andiola co-founded the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, which is "an immigrant, youth-led organization focusing on the fight for higher education and immigrant rights."[12] In Arizona, she made a name for herself by confronting politicians who supported anti-immigration policies.[10] She has also served in the National Coordinating Committee and the Board of Directors for the United We Dream Network.[13]

In 2013 her mother and brother were detained and nearly deported after a raid at Erika Andiola's Arizona home.[14] She posted a video about her family's detainment on YouTube and it went viral.[8] It was through Andiola's close work with the immigration officers that her family was able to remain in the country.[14] Also in 2013, Andiola played the role of one of the two mothers in the music video, "El Hielo," directed by Alex Rivera.[15] In 2013, she became an outreach staffer for Representative Kyrsten Sinema (D-Phoenix).[10] Later, she was moved to Sinema's Washington, D.C. office.[10] She started working as a triage caseworker with the Guatemalan consulate in 2015.[10] In 2016, she was hired to work for the Bernie Sanders campaign for president as a Latino outreach strategist for the Southwest United States.[8]

In 2018, she was involved in a protest at the Texas State Capitol against rescinding DACA in Texas.[16] Andiola was involved in the group Our Revolution's decision to part ways with Tezlyn Figaro, whose Fox News appearances and tweets criticized the Democratic Party’s focus on “illegal immigrants.”[17]

In 2020, she and RAICES Communication Manager Lucia Allain interrupted Joe Biden's closing statement at the Nevada Democratic primary debate.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "Is It Possible to Resist Deportation in Trump's America?". Source of the Week. 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  2. ^ "Our Revolution Statement on Trump's Attack on Immigrant Families and Progressive States". Our Revolution. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  3. ^ "Erika's Story". Home is Here. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  4. ^ "Capitol Hill staffer quits job to fight mom's deportation in Arizona". Cronkite News. 2013-12-04.
  5. ^ "Erika Andiola Says Dreamers Know How to Push Biden". The Texas Observer. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  6. ^ Cassata, Donna (18 April 2012). "GOP Weighs Migrant Plan". Arizona Republic. p. A1. Retrieved 2018-11-11 – via Newspapers.com. and "Immigration". Arizona Republic. 18 April 2012. p. A4. Retrieved 2018-11-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Meyer, Kimberly (25 October 2019). "The Women of RAICES Are Making Immigrants' Voices Heard". Glamour. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  8. ^ a b c Nevarez, Griselda (2015-11-02). "Arizona Immigration Activist Hired to Work for Bernie Sanders Campaign". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  9. ^ Nevarez, Griselda (21 September 2010). "Illegal immigrant students' hopes dashed with DREAM Act's failure in U.S". Arizona Capitol Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e Hing, Julianne (2016). "Dreams No Longer Deferred". Nation. 302 (6): 16–21 – via EBSCOhost.
  11. ^ Foley, Elise (2013-01-11). "Erika Andiola, Undocumented Immigrant Activist, Urges ICE To Free Her Detained Family". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  12. ^ "ADAC – Arizona DREAM Act Coalition". theadac.org. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  13. ^ "Erika Andiola". dacaseminar.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  14. ^ a b Cindy Y. Rodriguez; Janet DiGiacomo. "Agents take mother of immigration activist in night home raid". CNN. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  15. ^ Fernandez, Valeria (3 May 2013). "'El Hielo": Music Video Inspires Immigrant Rights Activists, Goes Viral". La Prensa San Diego. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Immigrants Arrested Near Capitol During DACA Protest". The Texas Tribune. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Sanders-founded group likely to part with staffer who tweeted about 'illegal immigrants'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  18. ^ "What Protesters Shouted at the Nevada Democratic Debate". Time. 2020-02-19.