Cristina Jiménez

Topics:

Activism and Social Justice

Hispanic Heritage Month

Immigration

Motivational & Inspirational Speakers

Women's Interest & Advocacy

Travels from:

New York

Cristina Jiménez

Cristina Jiménez is an award-winning community organizer, political strategist, and one of the leading voices in the immigrant justice movement. She is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of United We Dream (UWD), the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the country. Her and her family immigrated to the U.S from Ecuador in 1998 to Queens, NY, where she grew up undocumented.

Under Cristina’s leadership, United We Dream grew to over one million members and played a critical role in securing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, protecting over 600,000 undocumented young people. Her work has been recognized by TIME Magazine (“TIME 100 Most Influential People”), the MacArthur Foundation (MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship), and many other organizations.

Today, Cristina Jiménez regularly speaks to national and international audiences, uplifting immigrant youth, organizing strategies, and policy advocacy. She currently serves as a Distinguished Lecturer at the City University of New York’s Colin Powell School and co-chair the Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice Institute.

Her memoir, Dreaming of Home, shares her personal journey from undocumented immigrant to movement leader. The book serves as a roadmap for organizing and collective liberation. This message echoes in features and reviews from The Washington Post, People Magazine, and more.

Book Cover	Details
opens in a new window Hardback	Dreaming of Home *NOW A USA TODAY* BESTSELLER! "Essential reading*...entirely suited to a turbulent moment." —Washington Post* A MacArthur “Genius” shares her inspiring story, from undocumented newcomer to leader in a powerful immigrant youth movement. Dreaming of Home is a coming-of-age story for b...Read More

Dreaming of Home: My Journey from Undocumented Immigrant to Movement Leader
In her best-selling book, Cristina shares her personal story of growing up undocumented in Queens, co-founding United We Dream, and leading a powerful immigrant youth movement that won the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) which changed the lives of millions and reshaped American immigration policy and politics. She is also able to share her eye-opening experiences as a writer of her first book.

The Power of Young People & Building Social Movements for Change
Cristina brings over two decades of experience in organizing young people to make historic change happen. She shares inspiring, first-hand experiences of how young people from some of the most marginalized communities have successfully built political power, changed hearts and minds and have won. She led or has collaborated with youth organizers from a wide range of communities in the United States and in countries as far reaching as Ireland and Spain.

Immigrant and Undocumented Immigrant Stories of Resilience
As someone who grew up undocumented and who has led a national network of immigrant youth, Cristina is able to share real life experiences of life as an immigrant in America. At a time when so much of the public discourse around immigration centers on caricature and division, audiences appreciate Cristina’s candor, humor and insight which help cut through the noise and humanize the immigrant experiences happening all arond them.

Immigration Policy and Politics Throughout American History
Just about everyone can agree that this country’s immigration system is a mess but how did we get here? Cristina is able to shed some light on this complex question and make connections to topics that audiences may be grappling with today from climate change to education to the very future of our democracy.

Women Leadership and Parenthood
From her start as a young girl taught to stay quiet to becoming a nationally recognized Executive Director, Cristina has had to navigate challenges faced by women and girls everywhere as they confront a world built to keep us out. She shares insight on the barriers women face and on the unique strengths we bring as we become leaders, executives, mothers, and ourselves.

Latina Pride and Identity
In a world that is more polarized than it has seemed in decades, Latinos in the United States are facing a real opportunity to create a new identity which reflects the reality of who we are and who we are becoming. Culture, food, history, politics, contradictions, and excitement, Cristina enjoys sharing her insight on “orgullo” or “pride” and what it means for the fastest growing minority group in the country.

Storytelling and the Art of Social Change
Cristina reflects on how narrative, grassroots power, and personal storytelling have been central to shifting public opinion and achieving policy victories like DACA.