L-R: Ilfenesh Hadera, ASC co-directors Kim Nichols, Asfaha Hadera, and Bakary Tandia, policy advocate of African Services Committee pose with their Member of the Year award
The first award of the New York Immigration Coalition 2016 Gala – the NYIC Member of the Year Award – was presented to African Services Committee (ASC) for thirty-three years of exceptional service to New York’s Black and African immigrant communities on May 24, 2016, at Capitale in Manhattan.
Kim Nichols, co-executive director at African Services Committee accepted the award along with co-executive director Asfaha Hadera and Bakary Tandia, policy advocate for ASC and NYIC board member, saying, “Our partnership with the New York Immigration Coalition dates back to 1992, when we first joined forces to strike down the HIV immigration ban in the U.S. We have ridden buses together to Washington and Albany; tackled issues together such as the Dream Act, DACA, DAPA, language access, healthcare access, affordable housing, education, and fair wages for immigrants. Most recently, African Services Committee is proud to be part of the Black Immigrant Engagement Initiative, which we share with NYIC and several other Black immigrant legal and community services providers.”
“African Services Committee is honored to be named Member of the Year and commend the New York Immigration Coalition, our partners too numerous to name, and the champions of the immigrant rights movement who continue to act in the interest of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and all displaced people from wherever they may come.”
The annual gala also honored Joyce Chang, Managing Director and Head of Global Research at J.P. Morgan Chase, Josefina Vázquez Mota, President of Juntos Podemos, and Suzette Brooks Masters, Immigration and Integration expert and Former Program Director for Migration at J.M. Kaplan Fund.
Four hundred individuals representing community organizations, labor groups, faith organizations, businesses, and government attended the annual gala.
Photo credit: NYIC
