BY MANSI MOTWANI
LOS ANGELES, CA - Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) on Feb 23 welcomed Reshma Shamasunder as their new Vice President of Program Strategy. With her experience in working for the rights of immigrants both regionally and nationally spanning nearly two decades, Shamasunder...
LOS ANGELES, CA - Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) on Feb 23 welcomed Reshma Shamasunder as their new Vice President of Program Strategy. With her experience in working for the rights of immigrants both regionally and nationally spanning nearly two decades, Shamasunder...
in her new role is expected to head Advancing Justice-LA’s “fight back” efforts in this period of rising anti-immigrant policies and racial tensions. “I am excited to work with this amazing, dedicated group of advocates, service providers and contributors to Advancing Justice-LA and other communities,” said Shamasunder in a conversation with IJ. She voiced her concerns regarding the tone on family immigration at the national level. “Many of us South Asians are here on the basis of family immigration. We will work with affiliates to uplift family immigration and push back the negative and harmful rhetoric that surrounds it,” she elaborated. Before accepting her new position Shamasunder was the Deputy Director of Programs at the National Immigration Law Center where she oversaw the organization’s legal, policy and advocacy, and communications strategies. From 2003 to 2015, she served as the Executive Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center. There, her leadership resulted in innovative campaigns at the state-level for low-income, immigrant and vulnerable communities. She spearheaded important policy wins such as the provision of driver’s licenses for all Californians, the initiation and launch of the ‘One California’ program, the Trust Act which placed limits on cooperation between local law enforcement and immigration authorities among others.
In a statement, Advancing Justice- LA President and Executive Director Stewart Kwoh said, “Reshma has been a tremendous colleague and thought partner for Advancing Justice-LA on immigrant rights for many years. I am excited about her new role with us, and look forward to her vision and leadership as we head into another year of building the resistance in Sacramento, while we fight in Congress to protect undocumented immigrants and defend family-based immigration.” A native Angeleno born to Indian immigrants, Reshma was raised in California’s Mojave Desert in the 1980s, when the state didn’t have many Asian and Indian community members. “I didn’t always feel comfortable and included. Remarks towards the Indian and immigrant communities made me feel isolated. Growing up, it just felt natural to advance justice on behalf of and with these communities,” she said, when asked about the inspiration behind her career choice. She holds dual Bachelor’s Degrees from UCLA and a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
Alongside her duties at Advancing Justice-LA, Shamasunder continues to serve on the board of California Immigrant Policy Center. In the past, she has served on the boards of Health Access California and the South Asian Network in Los Angeles. She was also an inaugural fellow with the Rockwood Fellowship for a New California, a leadership program for California’s immigrant rights leaders. She has received many awards for her leadership such as the Families USA Health Equity Advocate of the Year Award and the National Immigration Law Center Courageous Luminaries Award.
Advancing Justice-LA is based in downtown Los Angeles and has satellite offices in Orange County and Sacramento. It is the biggest legal and civil rights organization in the US for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders . It was founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and aids over 15,000 individuals and organizations annually by providing strategies and services in areas like immigration, citizenship, policy advocacy and litigation.
In a statement, Advancing Justice- LA President and Executive Director Stewart Kwoh said, “Reshma has been a tremendous colleague and thought partner for Advancing Justice-LA on immigrant rights for many years. I am excited about her new role with us, and look forward to her vision and leadership as we head into another year of building the resistance in Sacramento, while we fight in Congress to protect undocumented immigrants and defend family-based immigration.” A native Angeleno born to Indian immigrants, Reshma was raised in California’s Mojave Desert in the 1980s, when the state didn’t have many Asian and Indian community members. “I didn’t always feel comfortable and included. Remarks towards the Indian and immigrant communities made me feel isolated. Growing up, it just felt natural to advance justice on behalf of and with these communities,” she said, when asked about the inspiration behind her career choice. She holds dual Bachelor’s Degrees from UCLA and a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
Alongside her duties at Advancing Justice-LA, Shamasunder continues to serve on the board of California Immigrant Policy Center. In the past, she has served on the boards of Health Access California and the South Asian Network in Los Angeles. She was also an inaugural fellow with the Rockwood Fellowship for a New California, a leadership program for California’s immigrant rights leaders. She has received many awards for her leadership such as the Families USA Health Equity Advocate of the Year Award and the National Immigration Law Center Courageous Luminaries Award.
Advancing Justice-LA is based in downtown Los Angeles and has satellite offices in Orange County and Sacramento. It is the biggest legal and civil rights organization in the US for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders . It was founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and aids over 15,000 individuals and organizations annually by providing strategies and services in areas like immigration, citizenship, policy advocacy and litigation.
RSS Feed
