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Ana Maria Archila

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Ana Maria Archila
Personal details
Born1978 or 1979 (age 44–45)
Colombia
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMontclair State University (BA)

Ana María Archila (born 1978/1979)[1] is an American attorney and activist serving as co-director of the New York Working Families Party.[2] She previously ran for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2022. She was formerly the co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) and a co-founder and co-executive director of Make the Road New York and Make the Road Action.[3][4][5]

In New York, she advocated for education reform, helping lead campaigns to fully fund public schools, create school-based college access programs, and pass the New York Dream Act. She was also deeply involved in the fights for paid sick days, raising the minimum wage, and a range of other progressive campaigns. She has also been a leader in the fight for immigration reform.

Archila received national attention when she confronted former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake just before the Senate Judiciary Committee's vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, leading to a delay in the process. She joined Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a guest of honor at the 2019 State of the Union.[6]

Early life

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Archila was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia.[7] At the age of 17, Archila moved to the United States.[8]

Career

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She attended Montclair State University before becoming a staff member of the Latin American Integration Center (LAIC) in Staten Island and Queens. The founding director of LAIC, Sara Maria Archila, was a former human rights lawyer from Colombia and her aunt.[8]

Latin American Integration Center

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After Sara María Archila died from cancer, Ana María became the executive director of LAIC.[9] She began serving in this role in 2003, where she led the organization to deliver crucial services and organize for immigrant rights, as well as becoming a spokesperson about the needs of Latino immigrant communities in New York state. Archila advocated on behalf of parents with limited English language skills in Staten Island and Queens, New York, to obtain more information about their children's education. After LAIC merged with Make the Road by Walking to become Make the Road New York (MRNY), she become a co-executive director of the new organization.[10] Under the leadership of Archila and her co-directors, MRNY became the largest grassroots immigrant organization in New York City.[7]

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Archila subsequently became a co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD).[10] She worked to build and support this national network of community organizations. In her role, Archila spoke out against the immigration policies of US President Donald Trump, as well as his attacks on the Affordable Care Act, and more.[11][12][13] She told CNN that removing children from their parents and their family would cause damage that would be difficult to repair later in life.[14] She continued her decades-long work advocating for immigration reform centered on a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented people.[15][16] In June 2018, Archila lamented that the zero tolerance policy of the Trump administration which separated immigrant children from their parents, was still in operation.[17]

Archila brought attention to Puerto Rico and problems of lack of power after Hurricane Maria.[18] She warned that the territory was lacking in proper governmental organization in advance of the following hurricane season.[19] She advocated for debt relief to alleviate economic problems in Puerto Rico.[20] Archila pointed in particular to Bank of Santander as an example of economic debt pressures on Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.[21] Archila said Puerto Rico was not getting responsive assistance from the US federal government, because the United States Congress did not view the locality as within their representation duties.[22]

U.S. Senate hearings on Supreme Court nomination

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See also: Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination

On September 28, 2018, US Senator Jeff Flake announced his intention to vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who had been accused of sexual assault by a number of women, including Christine Blasey Ford, who testified for several hours before the Senate Judiciary Committee the day before Flake's announcement. Kavanaugh subsequently testified and denied the allegations. Flake said that Ford's testimony was "compelling," but added that Kavanaugh's response was "persuasive" and left him "with as much doubt as certainty" regarding what had occurred.[23]

Following his announcement, Flake was confronted by Archila along with Maria Gallagher, two anti-Kavanaugh protestors, in a Senate office building elevator.[24][25] On the same day, Flake voted not to subpoena Mark Judge to appear before the Judiciary Committee, who Ford said was present during her assault.[26] That afternoon, Flake voted to advance Kavanaugh's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but said he was a "yes" vote "only if the final Senate vote [was] delayed for one week, during which time the FBI [could] investigate sexual harassment allegations against Kavanaugh"; Senate Republican leaders agreed to support the proposed investigation.[27][28] Later that day, President Donald Trump directed the FBI to undertake a one-week investigation of the allegations against Kavanaugh.[27]

2022 New York lieutenant governor campaign

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Main article: 2022 New York gubernatorial election

In 2022 Archila was selected by Jumaane Williams to be his running mate in the 2022 New York gubernatorial election.[29]

Archilla received endorsements from dozens of other elected officials and advocacy groups across the state, including the Working Families Party, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.[30] She was also endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[31] In the Democratic primary, Archilla finished second in a three-person race which was won by the incumbent, Antonio Delgado.[32][33]

New York Working Families Party co-director

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In 2023, Archila and education activist Jasmine Gripper were named co-directors of the New York chapter of the Working Families Party.[2][34]

References

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  1. ^ "Rising Stars 40 under 40 – Ana Maria Archila". Make the Road New York. September 28, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Ngo, Emily (October 16, 2023). "NY Working Families Party appoints new leaders as it targets House races". Politico. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  3. ^ Acevedo, Nicole (March 28, 2017), "'We Cannot Hide': Sanctuary Cities Join Forces in First Meeting of Its Kind", NBC News, retrieved September 29, 2018
  4. ^ Miller, Justin (June 15, 2017), "In New York City, Fast-Food Workers May Soon Have a Permanent Voice", The American Prospect, retrieved September 29, 2018
  5. ^ Chen, Jackson (October 13, 2017), "Mayor Shows Tepid Support For Housing Displaced Puerto Ricans", DNAinfo, archived from the original on September 29, 2018, retrieved September 29, 2018
  6. ^ "Ana Maria Archila on Confronting Jeff Flake". NPR.org.
  7. ^ a b Smith, Charlie (June 9, 2014), "Broadbent Institute brings democracy advocate Ana Maria Archila to Vancouver", The Georgia Straight, retrieved September 29, 2018
  8. ^ a b Milkman, Ruth; Ott, Edward, eds. (2014), New Labor in New York: Precarious Workers and the Future of the Labor Movement, Cornell University Press, pp. 174–175, ISBN 978-0801452833
  9. ^ Anuario Hispano Hispanic Yearbook: The Resource and Referral Guide for an about Hispanic Americans, TIYM Publishing Company, Incorporated, 2005, p. 311, ISBN 978-0965654586
  10. ^ a b "CPD Welcomes Ana María Archila as New Co-Executive Director". The Center for Popular Democracy. September 30, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  11. ^ Gamboa, Suzanne (June 1, 2018), "Trump migrant family separations protested as U.S. is accused of violating human rights", NBC News, retrieved September 29, 2018
  12. ^ Kaden, Allison (June 1, 2018), "Immigration rally in Manhattan protests policy separating children from parents at the border", WPIX, retrieved September 29, 2018
  13. ^ Mendez, Maria (June 28, 2018), "Jayapal Among Nearly 575 Women Arrested at Immigration Protest", Roll Call, retrieved September 29, 2018
  14. ^ Lobosco, Katie (July 25, 2018), "Immigrant advocates attack banks for financing private prisons", CNN, retrieved September 29, 2018
  15. ^ Gonzalez-Ramirez, Andrea (July 30, 2018), "Here's How The #AbolishICE Movement Really Got Started", Refinery29, retrieved September 29, 2018
  16. ^ "575 arrested as women rally in D.C. to protest Trump's immigration policy", The Post-Standard, The Washington Post, June 29, 2018, retrieved September 29, 2018
  17. ^ Harnish, Amelia (June 28, 2018), "'We Disobey': Women's March Protestors Sit-In To Protest Family Detention", Refinery29, retrieved September 29, 2018
  18. ^ Gamboa, Suzanne, "Still waiting for power: Six months after Hurricane Maria, frustrated Puerto Ricans rally in D.C.", NBC News, retrieved September 29, 2018
  19. ^ Acevedo, Nicole, "Two weeks before hurricane season, Puerto Rico is not ready, groups warn", NBC News, retrieved September 29, 2018
  20. ^ Dayen, David (July 25, 2018), "2020 Democrats band together to call for Puerto Rico debt cancellation", The Intercept, retrieved September 29, 2018
  21. ^ Munns, Charlie (January 31, 2018), "Local protesters rally in opposition to Columbia's relationship with Santander Bank", Columbia Spectator, retrieved September 29, 2018
  22. ^ "Puerto Rico: Shelter After the Storm", Aljazeera.com, May 2, 2018, retrieved September 29, 2018
  23. ^ Rowland, Geoffrey (September 28, 2018). "Flake says he will vote to confirm Kavanaugh". TheHill. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  24. ^ "Flake confronted by two female protesters after announcing he'll back Kavanaugh". CNN. September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  25. ^ "Miami Herald". Who were the women who confronted Sen. Jeff Flake about Kavanaugh vote in an elevator?. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  26. ^ "Jeff Flake says he will vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh". NBC News. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  27. ^ a b McLeod, Paul (September 28, 2018). "Trump Has Ordered An FBI Investigation Of The Sexual Assault Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh". BuzzFeedNews.com. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  28. ^ Peterson, Kristina; Andrews, Natalie (September 28, 2018). "Kavanaugh Nomination Advances to Full Senate With One-Week Delay". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  29. ^ "Williams chooses activist Ana Maria Archila as Lt. Gov. Running mate". February 28, 2022.
  30. ^ "Endorsements". Ana Maria for NY | 2022 Lieutenant Governor Candidate. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  31. ^ Mays, Jeffery C.; Ashford, Grace (June 22, 2022). "Ocasio-Cortez Endorses Insurgent in New York Lt. Governor's Race". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  32. ^ Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (June 29, 2022). "Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado Fends Off Challenge From Left in N.Y. Primary". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  33. ^ Gronewold, Anna; Mahoney, Bill (June 28, 2022). "Delgado comfortably wins New York's lieutenant governor primary". POLITICO. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  34. ^ Williams, Tim; Bortnick, Casey (November 13, 2023). "New York Working Families Party gets new leadership". Spectrum News. Retrieved June 16, 2024.

Further reading

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