Transformative Partner Award: Angélica Salas
Angélica Salas is the Executive Director of CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of LA) and has been since 1999. Angélica is one of the most prominent and fearless voices in the face of federal attacks by ICE on our city. Catalyst California has been proud to partner with CHIRLA over the years to work on a broad spectrum of issues, including Census outreach, community-powered redistricting, advocating for open and representative governance in LA, to now partnering to push back against the militarization of our streets and disappearances of our people.
Angélica comes to her understanding of immigrants and immigration first hand, she and her entire family lived in the country undocumented, experienced deportation, and were able to legalize their status. An immigrant from Durango, Mexico, she came to the United States as a child to reunite with her parents, who came to provide a better life for their family. In 2008, Angélica became a U.S. citizen.
Angélica first joined CHIRLA in 1995 and has transformed CHIRLA into a mass membership immigrant-led organization that empowers immigrants and their families to win local, state, and national policies that advance their human, civil, and labor rights. She has grown CHIRLA into one of the nation’s largest and most effective immigrant rights organizations that organize, advocates, educates, and provides legal services to all immigrants. She has spearheaded ambitious statewide and national campaigns to expand immigrant rights. She has helped found organizations and coalitions to advocate for immigrant workers, youth, and families. Among her achievements include: winning in-state, financial aid and grant programs for California’s undocumented students; establishing day-laborer centers that become national models; winning drivers’ licenses for undocumented drivers; decoupling local police departments from immigration enforcement; expanding access to immigrant legal services; and winning Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Angélica is a state and national leader in advocating for immigration reform and immigrant justice. She was instrumental in the formation of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), two of the country’s largest immigrant rights coalitions.
Angélica is a recognized grassroots leader who serves as a national spokesperson for immigrant communities and immigrant rights campaigns. Angélica has provided expert responses to Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Univision. Telemundo, NPR, etc. Recently, Angélica’s work led to the House of Representatives passage of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 and the Dream and Promise Act of 2021, a bill to give people with DACA and TPS a path to citizenship.
She graduated from Occidental College with a B.A. in History and a B.A. in Sociology in 1993. In 2007, Occidental College awarded her an Honorary Doctorate for her many contributions making her one of the youngest persons to earn such an honor in the college’s history. Angélica serves on Board of Directors for California Wellness Foundation, National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), America’s Voice, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, UNITE-LA, and is Board President of Californians for Human Immigrant Leadership Action Fund (CHIRLA Action Fund).