Wendy Cervantes
Wendy Cervantes is the Vice President of Immigration and Child Rights Policy at First Focus and Director of the Center for the Children of Immigrants. In these roles, she leads the organization’s work in cross-cutting policy areas that impact children of immigrants including child welfare, immigration, education, human rights, family economics, and health. She has extensive experience in promoting policies and programs to improve outcomes for immigrant families at the state, national, and international level. She currently serves as the Policy Co-Chair of the Migration and Child Welfare National Network.
Presentations from Facing Race 2014
Public Health Research and Framing as Organizing and Advocacy Tools
Over 50% of our health is determined by social and environmental conditions, not by doctors or genetics. In this session, we explore how research and communications about the effects of proposed policies related to these conditions and on community health can be effective organizing and advocacy tools for racial justice. Specifically, we will discuss how this approach was used in recent organizing campaigns related to school integration in Minnesota and Federal immigration reform. We highlight how health provides a lens to: address issues of community concern through holistic and integrated organizing; frame issues; build broader coalitions; and mobilize additional spokespeople.
Speakers: Jonathan Heller, Phyllis Hill, Wendy Cervantes