the national immigration forum and the national...
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15TH ANNUAL AWARDS
OCTOBER 14, 2015
THE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM AND
THE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM ACTION FUND
PROUDLY PRESENT THE
KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AWARDS
THE W WASHINGTON D.C.OCTOBER 14, 2015
THE KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AWARDS celebrate the heroes
who embody the spirit of immigrant achievement
and the American dream, contribute significantly
to the well-being of immigrants in America and
enhance our appreciation of immigrants and the
immigrant tradition.
In addition to recognizing the entrepreneurial
and pioneering accomplishments of these
honorees, we also celebrate the Forum’s 33 years
of leadership, policy expertise, coalition-building
success and commitment to advocating for the
value of immigrants and immigration to our nation.
KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AWARDS
THE W WASHINGTON D.C.OCTOBER 14, 2015
WELCOMELaura Reiff
National Immigration Forum Board Chair
MASTER OF CEREMONIES Ali Noorani
Executive Director, National Immigration Forum
KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM HONOREES
Weili DaiPresident and Co-Founder, Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
Diane PortnoyFounder and CEO, The Immigrant Learning Center
Lorella PraeliDreamer, Immigrant Rights Advocate
CLOSING REMARKSAli Noorani
National Immigration Forum
H AWARDS PRESENTATION H
“Immigration is not only our heritage
but also our future. And just as new
Americans celebrate and embrace
their new country, we should celebrate
and capitalize on their potential.”
— Sayu Bhojwani, Huffington Post
June 2015
National Immigration Forum
Board Member
WEILI DAI
PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER
Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
Marvell’s technology has become an
integral component of many of the world’s
most important products in enterprise,
communications, mobile computing,
and consumer and emerging markets.
She has also become an ambassador of
opportunity between the U.S. and China,
particularly in the arenas of education
and green technology. Ms. Dai has
become a powerful advocate for the
better use of technology to improve the
human condition.
2015 KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM HONOREES
WEILI DAI is one of the most successful
women entrepreneurs in the world today.
Widely considered a technology visionary,
she is the only woman co-founder of a
global semiconductor company, and she
has helped Marvell rise to become one
of the top semiconductor companies in
the world. Ms. Dai’s business acumen,
strategic thinking, product leadership,
endless passion and personal network
have contributed greatly to Marvell’s fast
rise to success. Under her leadership
Under Dai’s
leadership Marvell’s
technology has
become an integral
component of many
of the world’s most
important products
in enterprise,
communications,
mobile computing,
and consumer and
emerging markets.
DIANE PORTNOY
FOUNDER AND CEO
The Immigrant Learning Center
Mason University, conducts research on the
economic contributions of immigrants.
Diane’s creative impulse to open a free
school where immigrants can learn English
stems from her own immigrant background
as the daughter of Polish Holocaust
survivors. As a toddler, she and her parents
immigrated to the U.S. through Ellis Island
shortly after the end of World War II. The
family settled in Malden. She observed the
difficulty her parents and other immigrants
in her community experienced learning
English and adjusting to a new country,
culture and language.
Under her visionary leadership, The ILC has
grown from three classrooms serving 60
students a year to a nationally recognized
education center that serves 900 students
a year with a staff of 31. Since its inception,
The ILC has served more than 8,500
immigrant adults from 118 countries who
live in 81 Greater Boston communities.
2015 KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM HONOREES
DIANE PORTNOY is founder and CEO
of The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.
(The ILC) in Malden, MA, six miles north
of Boston. Opened in November 1992,
the not-for-profit organization gives
immigrants a voice in three ways. The
English Language Program provides free,
year-round English classes to immigrant
and refugee adults in Greater Boston to
help them become successful workers,
parents and community members.
The Public Education Institute informs
Americans about the economic and
social contributions of immigrants in our
society, and the Institute for Immigration
Research, a joint venture with George
Since its inception,
The ILC has
served more than
8,500 immigrant
adults from 118
countries who live
in 81 Greater Boston
communities.
2015 KEEPERS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM HONOREES
LORELLA PRAELI
Dreamer, Immigrant Rights Advocate
In 2012, her advocacy and leadership
with United We Dream played a key role
in persuading the Obama administration
to deliver reprieves from deportation
and work permits to 1.4 million Dreamers
through DACA. Before joining United We
Dream, Praeli co-founded and directed CT
Students for a Dream and led the public
advocacy campaign for the successful
passage of Connecticut’s in-state tuition
bill. She also worked as state organizer
for United Action of Connecticut, where
she built an intergenerational network of
undocumented parents and youth.
LORELLA PRAELI is the former Advocacy
and Policy Director of United We Dream,
the largest immigrant-youth-led
network dedicated to advancing the
rights of noncitizens in the U.S. Praeli
was responsible for developing the
organization’s political strategy, and her
advocacy focused on passage of the
Dream Act, comprehensive Immigration
Reform and implementation of the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) policy.
In 2012, Praeli’s
advocacy and
leadership with
United We Dream
played a key role
in persuading the
Obama administration
to deliver reprieves
from deportation
and work permits to
1.4 million Dreamers
through DACA.
CHAMPION The Immigrant Learning Center
Walmart
LEADERSAltaMed Health Services Corporation
Marvell Technology Group Ltd.Western Union
SEIU
UNDERWRITERSGreenberg Traurig
Western Growers Association U.S. Chamber of Commerce
ALLIESAmerican Federation of Teachers
Ball HorticulturalThe Betsy – South Beach
Roman Catholic Diocese of SacramentoFCi Federal
Idaho Dairymen’s AssociationMarriott International
Peter Orum The Green Valley Pecan Company
BENEFACTORSMidwest Groundcovers
Midwest Trading Supplies United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
DONORSAmericanHort
America’s VoiceIllinois Landscape Contractors Association
Kirkland & Ellis, LLPMargaret Wong & Associates
The Raben GroupRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
Dr. & Mrs. Warren H. Stewart Sr.,First Institutional Baptist Church
Texas AFT
UNITE HERE
H THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 SPONSORS H
Congratulations
Diane Portnoy
Thank you for giving a
voice to thousands of
immigrants and refugees.
As champion sponsor of the National Immigration Forum’s Keepers of the
American Dream, Walmart congratulates the 2015 Keeper Honorees for their
contributions to the social, economic, civic, and cultural betterment of the
United States of America.
corporate.walmart.com/therealwalmart
MARVELL. ENABLING A SMART LIFE AND SMART LIFESTYLE.
WITH ITS LEADING SILICON SOLUTIONS and Kinoma® software, Marvell impacts technology from mobile communications to storage, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud infrastructure, digital entertainment and in-home content delivery. At the core of the world’s most powerful consumer, network and enterprise systems, Marvell provides people around the world with mobility and ease of access to services adding value to their social, personal and work lives. Marvell is committed to enhancing the human experience.
www.marvell.com
AltaMed salutes the
National Immigration Forum
and is proud to support their
2015 Keepers of the American Dream Dinner
Thank you to Peter Orum, distinguished former board member
and valued supporter.
© 2015 Western Union Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ONLINE | MOBILE | IN-STORE
MOVING MONEYAROUNDTHE WORLD
THIS IS
SM
Affirming the contributions of immigrantsto the United States of America
The Service Employees International Union congratulates this year’s National Immigration Forum and National Immigration Forum Action Fund honorees:
Weili DaiPresident and Co-FounderMarvell Technology Group
Diane PortnoyFounder and CEOThe Immigrant Learning Center
Lorella PraeliDREAMerImmigrant Rights Advocate
We believe in and will fight for a just society: Where all workers are valued and all people are respected; Where all families and communities thrive; and Where we leave a better and more equal world for generations to come.
www.seiu.org
MARY KAY HENRYINTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
MICHAEL P. FISHMANINTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER
KIRK ADAMSEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
GERRY HUDSONEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
EILEEN KIRLINEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
VALARIE LONGEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
ROCIO SÁENZEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Congratulations
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1900 AT TORNEYS | 38 LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE˚
Greenberg Traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. ©2015 Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. Contact: Laura Foote Reiff in McLean at 703.749.1300. °These numbers are subject to fl uctuation. 26181
Greenberg Traurig is proud to be a sponsor of the Keepers of the American Dream Awards.
We congratulate all the individuals and organizations recognized.
G R E E N B E R G T R A U R I G , L L P | G T L AW. C O M
GVPC15_1032 National Immagration Forum.indd 1 10/7/2015 4:15:47 PM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Laura Reiff, Chair, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Eddie Aldrete, Vice Chair, IBC Bank
Rich Stolz, Treasurer, OneAmerica
Louis Malfaro, Secretary, Texas AFT
Sayu V. Bhojwani, The New American Leaders Project
Jeb Bush, Jr., Jeb Bush & Associates, LLC
Renata Calderaro, The Calderaro Tyrrell Law Group
Manuel Cunha, Jr., Nisei Farmers League
Cástulo de la Rocha, AltaMed Health Services Corporation
Bob Naerebout, Idaho Dairymen’s Association
Fred Niehaus, Interactive Global Services, LLC
Suzii Paynter, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Arturo Sarukhan, Mexican Ambassador to the United States, 2007-2013
The Most Reverend Jaime Soto, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., First Institutional Baptist Church
Nan Stockholm Walden, J.D., Farmers Investment Co. (FICO)
Felicia Wong, The Roosevelt Institute
STAFF
Ali Noorani, Executive Director
Mark Falzone, Deputy Director
Laura Adviento, Digital Content and Design Associate
Laurence Benenson, Policy and Advocacy Manager
Meredith Brandt, Communications Associate
Dawn Byrne, Director of Finance and Operations
Adam Estle, Constituencies Program Director
Cathleen Farrell, Director of Communications
Lucy Fyler, Communications Associate
Dan Gordon, Assistant Director of Communications
Zach Lewis, Development Associate
Jacinta Ma, Director of Policy and Advocacy
Robin Metalitz, Director of Development
Jennie Murray, Director of Integration Programs
Alissa Perman, Assistant for Integration Programs
Kathy Tran, Policy and Advocacy Assistant Director for Skills and Workforce Development
Ted Walsh, Finance and Operations Associate
Magen Wetmore, Constituencies Assistant
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Music provided by: Bialek’s Music – D.J. Dan Goldman
AmericanHort
America’s Voice
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association
Kirkland & Ellis, LLP
Margaret Wong & Associates
The Raben Group
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
Dr. & Mrs. Warren H. Stewart Sr., First Institutional Baptist Church
Texas AFT
UNITE HERE
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS…For the last several months, Forum staff have traveled
around the country to hold roundtables with our
constituents to hear their local concerns about
immigrants and immigration. These insightful and
unique roundtables, in 14 locations around the country,
helped us get a better big-picture view of the issues
surrounding immigration now and into these crucial
coming years.
The consensus? Ensure America can thrive by
advocating for policy change that helps new
Americans gain opportunities, skills and status to
realize their full potential. And the time is past due
for us to do something about it.
And we’re not standing pat. Your continued generous
support helped us launch our Immigration 2020 Agenda, addressing topline points that will affect
not only immigrants but the entire nation in the
coming years.
For more information about Immigration 2020,
please visit www.immigration2020.org.
50 F Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001
www.immigrationforum.org
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