tags: , , Blog

Congratulations to UWD’s Cristina Jiménez, 2017 MacArthur “Genius” Grant Recipient

Share This:

Cristina Jiménez Moreta, a co-founder of United We Dream, was announced today as one of 2017’s MacArthur “Genius” Fellows, and the immigration advocacy world is celebrating the recognition of one of our own. It’s a very impressive honor for one of our amazing friends.

The MacArthur Foundation, every year, recognizes the creative contributions of individuals across a wide variety of fields, and previous fellows have included Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ta-Nahisi Coates. Individuals cannot nominate themselves, and must be nominated and selected by an anonymous committee of experts. Fellows receive $625,000, paid out over five years, to spend any way they choose; this year’s winners include scientists, historians, photographers, and community leaders.

Cristina came to the US from Ecuador at the age of thirteen and is a co-founder and executive director of United We Dream. She has been pivotal in the organization and the broader immigration reform movement’s decision to share the personal stories of undocumented immigrants, campaigns for the Dream Act and DACA, and pushes for real immigration reform that brings justice for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US.

United We Dream works to address the needs of all immigrant youth, regardless of status, and offers young immigrants an entry point to professional and leadership positions. It works with LGBTQ, black, and other racial justice and immigration reform communities to build a social justice movement that spans multiple policy issues. Today, Cristina and United We Dream are continuing to provide resources and support to immigrant youth and communities of color while striving to protect the undocumented from Trump’s Deportation Force and moving toward the Dream Act and broader immigration reform.

Watch Cristina’s video below:

And view just some of the tweets congratulating her: