Welcome with Dignity has a video series called #Theheroes which takes a look at how directly impacted folx are leading the charge on changing our immigration and asylum system. This video was made in collaboration with the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies.

Blanca fled domestic violence & sought safety in the US, thinking her ordeal was over. But getting asylum took 10yrs. With no work permit & 3 kids, she turned to MUA for help and is now an organizing leader. Blanca was a part of our asylum victory, defeating Trumps policy that blocked asylum for domestic violence survivors.

“It wasn’t in my plans, or even on my mind to come to this country, but I needed to save my life and my kids lives. It took ten years for me to be granted asylum. It’s agonizing, when they don’t want to grant you a work permit seven or eight years in. You don’t sleep well, you don’t rest well, you don’t eat well! I am a leader at MUA, I support campaigns related to asylum and working women’s rights. Just being able to raise my voice for those who can’t, launching campaigns and then seeing it was removed, it makes me so happy. It’s so wonderful, it’s difficult to explain with words, It’s like knocking down a barrier or tearing down a wall that they tried to put up! Having the power to knock it down really is magnificent. One of my goals is to reduce the time it takes to be granted asylum and that in the time that it takes to process your case that you’re granted a work permit, because at the end we’re all humans beings with a right to life. ” – Blanca