Today, we’re thrilled to introduce CDM’s first-ever Elizabeth Mauldin Memorial Advocate for Migrant Women (EMMA).
We created the EMMA to discover and empower an emerging young leader to elevate the voices of migrant worker women and fulfill Elizabeth Mauldin’s legacy.
For almost seven years, Elizabeth inspired our organization, allies and migrant worker women with her brilliance, poise, and unshakable commitment. Her impact is incalculable, and through the EMMA, we’ll launch the careers of a new generation of tireless fighters to follow in her footsteps as well as blaze their own trail in the pursuit of justice.
Charged with choosing the first EMMA from a deluge of impressive candidates from nonprofits and academia in the U.S. and Mexico was our dedicated selection committee: Elizabeth’s mother, Lois Sandusky, EMMA supporter Melysa Sperber, migrant worker leaders Sylvana Jacome and Lila Ortiz, CDM Board President Sarah Paoletti, CDM Policy Director and Legislative Counsel Sulma Guzmán, and myself.
We couldn’t be prouder to share that María Perales Sanchez (Mari)has been named the inaugural Elizabeth Mauldin Memorial Advocate for Migrant Women.
Long before taking on (and beating) the Trump administration at the Supreme Court over DACA, Mari demonstrated a tenacious work ethic and leadership ability throughout high school and college on behalf of DACA applicants, undocumented workers, and their families. In 2018, she received the Allen Marcy Dulles’ 51 award for a graduating senior best exemplifying the University’s informal motto “Princeton in the nation’s service and the service to humanity.”
First joining CDM as a volunteer in 2016 and returning as a Policy Fellow in 2018, María transitioned to her current role as Communications Coordinator and has been instrumental in our efforts in Mexico, to the Eastern Shore, and Statehouse.
María’s advocacy, outreach, leadership and research experience makes her an ideal candidate for the EMMA – a cross discipline role envisioned to ensure the experiences and voices of migrant worker women are represented and uplifted across all facets of our movement.
We’re thrilled that the first Elizabeth Mauldin Memorial Advocate for Migrant Women is someone who worked alongside Elizabeth, and is deeply touched by her friendship, leadership, and memory.