FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2024
CONTACT
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Juan Gastelum, 213-375-3149
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458
NILC Welcomes Murad Awawdeh to its Board of Directors
WASHINGTON — The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) today announced the addition of Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), to the NILC board of directors.
“I am proud to welcome Murad Awawdeh, a nationally renowned champion of immigrants’ rights, to NILC’s board of directors,” said Kica Matos, NILC president. “Murad’s two decades of experience fighting for low-income communities of color, combined with his tireless advocacy to strengthen the ecosystem of welcoming newcomers in New York, will further propel NILC’s mission to advance the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. As a member of NILC’s board, Murad will play a crucial role in realizing our collective vision of an America in which everyone, regardless of their immigration status, has the freedom to thrive.”
“I am honored to join the board of the National Immigration Law Center, an organization whose commitment to advancing the rights of immigrant communities resonates deeply with my own lifelong dedication to fighting for justice,” said Murad Awawdeh. “I look forward to contributing my experience to advance NILC’s impactful work to advocate for low-income immigrants and their family members. Together, we will work toward a truly equitable, just future for all our communities.”
The son of Palestinian immigrants, Awawdeh has dedicated over two decades of his life fighting for low-income communities of color. As the Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), Awawdeh leads the nation’s oldest and largest immigrant rights organization. Through his work he has successfully expanded rights and protections for New Yorkers and delivered over $10 billion in community reinvestment. Over the past year, he has worked to welcome tens of thousands of recent arrivals and advocate for their needs, as well as strengthening the ecosystem of community organizations serving immigrant communities. Awawdeh has successfully led electoral, legislative, and policy campaigns at the federal, state and local levels, and mobilized hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers at demonstrations against anti-immigrant policies. As the Executive Director of NYIC Action, the NYIC’s sister 501(c)4 political advocacy and action organization, he has successfully ran grassroots electoral campaigns to elect progressive candidates.
Awawdeh has been featured in the New York Times, Vice, Washington Post, New York Daily News, and other various print, television and digital outlets. He serves as a Trustee of the New York University Family Health Centers Board, as a member of the Justice 2020 Committee, board member of the Advocacy Institute, National Partnership for New Americans, Fair Immigration Reform Movement and as Commissioner of the New York City Civic Engagement Commission.
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